190 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Maech 34, 1887. 



AMERICAN CENTER BOARDS IN BRITISH 

 WATERS. 



THE certainty that at least one of the new American yachts 

 ■which have attained such prominence in the past two seasons 

 will visit British waters this summer and try conclusions with (he 

 foremost of the cutters, brings up the question as to the footing 

 thev will ho placed on in the races. Heretofore the matter ol een- 

 terboards has been summarily disposed of by Hie lollowing rule oi 

 the Y. R. A.: "No vachts that are fitted to shift keels or to othei- 

 wise alter their form, shall lie permitted to enter." I- urther than 

 this, the centcrboard has been generally regarded by the >,o id ow 

 conservative British yachtsman as an invention of the Evil One, 

 albeit of British origin; something that was moral y ww g and 

 reprehensible, and that no sailorman could afford to be associated 

 wfth, except at the cost of such a loss of caste u .attach^ to £ 

 man who shifts ballast or shoots a fox One of then speak!- as 

 follows in the last issue of the Field: "1 do not know what utfbo 

 general opinion of racing yacht owner- as to the admission ot 

 centcrboard yachts to contend at the ensure -.-as cms ^ It.'s. 

 No 8 of the V. Li. A. Sailing Rules clearly lay t doxvn that (hey an- 

 not admissible, and it would seem to me that rega ta conimittoes 

 ought to abide by these rules unless the \ . H. A. agree that it he 

 Sorarily suspended. Clearly the object, of yacht raTOta 

 develop the best form of hull and canvas tor a sailing y--e n 

 all weather, and to discountenance the construction of p it el> 

 ra cing machines, and it is universally admitted that the Y . L A. 

 rules have been most successful in doing this. I xvasmucd) sin- 

 prised, therefore, at seeing Mr. Charhyood's letter, stating that he 

 is favorable to the admission of con terboard yachts at t his season s 

 regattas. The late defeat of Oone.sia and (.alaten allow oi no 

 doubt as to the result of such contest-. 1 he vessel that ' an get 

 her ballast as low, and get her keel as deep as she likes when going 

 to windward, and can make herself into a skimming dish when 

 running, is bound, with good handling and inordinary weal her, 

 to beat our best racer. 1 r elieve it is the universal wish of yachts- 

 men to show everv hospitality to visitors tins and overs w ar, am 

 1 sincerely trust some other means of doing this max be devised 

 than that of altering our racing rules to allow a type ot vessel, 

 useless save as a racing machine, to show us the way around our 

 principal regatta courses.— A C Clap.t. Y acht Owner.' 



It must be confessed that there was a time when centcrboard 

 vachts, as a class, deserved much of the evil repu.ation which t hey 

 had abroad, hut even in this there was no just ground for the 

 wholesale condemnation and ostracism of a most ingenious, effect- 

 ive, and in some cases indispensable a ppliance. 



Bpyond. a sweeping and indefinite condemnation of all center- 

 board craft, regardless of model or other features, no charges 

 have ever been formulated by those who oppose them, nor has af- 

 fair attempt been made to decide upon the merits of (he center- 

 hoard alone, apart from the hull wlvioh carries it. Thefact isthat 

 the centcrboard has been found for many year- in very had com- 

 pany, and has been hastily judged accordingly. During the long 

 period in which keel boats, except a few large schooners, wi re 

 practically unknown, the entire yacht fleet not only carried cen- 

 terboards. hut as-oeiated xvith them such proportions of great 

 beam and little depth as to make a most dangerous and undesira- 

 ble type of boat. 



It is no wonder that the unsavory records of many American 

 craft earned them the title of "death-traps," and raised a very 

 strong feeling against them among those whose altered conditions 

 offered no inducement to adopt the same type: but to estimate the 

 correct position of the centcrboard in the matter it is only neces- 

 sary to suppose a case; that the ccnterboard had never been in- 

 vented: tliat no expedient was known for holding a boat to wind- 

 ward but. the keel, and the same ideas as to model prevailed as 

 were iound in the old sloops. The resulting boat would then have 

 been exactly like some built in Boston a few year- since, when the 

 idea of a small keel yaeh' was first generally discussed. These 

 boats were builtjf romt ho same moulds t hat had served for shoal een- 

 terboards, hut a deep fixed tin of xvood took t he place of the board; 

 in fact, many centcrboard boats were altered in this manner. As 

 this fin was not weighted in any way, the boat was just as crank 

 and dangerous, and as much a " death-t i ap" as the similar boat 

 with a board that housed. It is true that the light draft .allowed 

 by the housing of the keel encouraged the construction of boats 

 xvith so little depth of body as to be had for any purpose, but t his 

 defect of model was due to many causes other than the hoard, and 

 it is unjust in the extreme to attribute it. to the latter. The excel- 

 lent records of many centerhoard vessels, both yachts and traders, 

 show this, and the fact, is established to the satisfaction of all 

 who will look into it in an unprejudiced manner, that a Safe and 

 perfectly seaworthy centcrboard vessel is easily possible. 



When it comes to the question of a purely seagoing vessel of 

 any kind we prefer the keel. It requires no knoxx ledge of ship- 

 building to see that the simple and undivided structure of the 

 keel boat must of necessity be stronger for the same quantity of 

 material than when the keel is divided and a box xvith many 

 joints inserted: and yet. on the other side, are the scores of old 

 centerhoard vessels that have bumped about the < oast for years 

 in perfect, safety, while the Ameriean centerhoard yachts have 

 crossed and re-crossed the Atlantic, have doubled ( ape Horn, 

 and are found every winter in West Indies. Many eenrterboara 

 yachts have at t imes come to grief; many are unfit for the work 

 they are often put to, and the possession of a .fleet of shoal racing 

 craft has interfered much xvith the development of American 

 yachting in the past, but we submit that those who have judged 

 and disbarred the centcrboard have not yet made good their case 

 against it as a reprehensible device that is unworthy of tolera- 

 tion. 



The sole idea of its use, to the British yachtsman, is to be ha uled 

 up at will in order to allow the yacht to obtain an unfair advantage 

 in draft over the keel boat, and at the same time another ad- 

 vantage is to he gained whert free by the lessened surface din to 

 the board being housed. This latter view has always been held 

 by the recognized authority abroad, the Fi< Ui, and is also expressed 

 only last week in the following from the Obwvet". "The lubtyge 

 match round the kingdom will attract many of the best Ameri- 

 can yachts, and among them oenterboarders, against which Brit- 

 ish yachtsmen entertain a strong, and, as some think, a slightly 

 unreasonable prejudice. Invented by an Englishman, the center- 

 board or sliding keel never found much favor among his conserv- 

 ative countrymen, while our American cousins, far wiser in their 

 appreciation of novelties, have utilized it extensively. It has 

 been proved over and over again that hoisting their centcrboard 

 gives American yachts an advantage of eight or ten minutes in a 

 twenty mile run before the xvind over an English rival. They are 

 also equal or superior when closed hauled to the wind. Perhaps 

 the experience of the next few months may soften our insular 

 prejudices, and the result of the international competition may- 

 be an approximation of our type of yacht more to that now re- 

 garded as best by our American cousins — a form of vessel now 

 by no means unsafe or unseawort by and not much unlike the 

 crack vessels of our own pleasure fleet of a generation since." 

 When English men have seen as many races bctxveen keels and 

 eenterboards as have taken place here since Madge beat Schemer, 

 they will probably bo toady to recognize the fact thai many of t he 

 times when the cutters win is down the wind, when the 'center- 

 boarder may. if he pleases, house his keel. As to the of her point, 

 lifting the board for shoals, it must be remembered thai the 

 centerhoard boat needs all her hoard under her' to take her to 

 windward, so that, unless off the wind, she must hold to her 

 board or fall off terribly to leeward; and as, to draft she mu.-i 

 have at least ^Oft. under her where the cutter is safe with 13ft. To 

 be sure the danger of grounding permanently is less, as her board 

 prevents that, but the use of the board as a "Dutch Pilot," for 

 sounding, while it may do in a eatboat in smooth Water, would be 

 a very different matter xvith Mayflower in a race, as the dangerot 

 some serious damage to the hoard or trunk is too great to he 

 intentionally incurred. 



Thus far the only action that "has been taken toward admitting 

 the eenterboards is by the Royal Loudon Y. C„ which has posted 

 the following notice in its club house: 



"Centcrboard yachts will be permitted to compete in all the 

 races of this club during the currenl year, provided their boards 

 are securely fixed in any position and sealed to the satisfaction of 

 the committee at or before 9 P. M.of the day previous to the race. 

 It is probable that our races for the jubilee prizes will take place 

 at Coxxeson Friday, Saturday and Monday, .lulx 29, BQand Aug. I. 

 G. W. Chaiu.wooh. Secretary Royal London S'. ('., March 11." 

 From a British standpoint this max be considered a generous 

 and liberal concesssion, but to any one familiar with the use of 

 the centcrboard in large boats and xvith the entire absence of all 

 restrictions ou British yacht! in their races hereof bite voars, the 

 utter absurdity of such condition- is apparent. As I he offer of 

 the Royal London Y. C, is made In a friendly spirit it is probable 

 that the fault lies only xvith the ignorance of centerhoard heals, 

 hut how it appears to Americans may be illustrated by a sunpo- 

 sitiouscase. When .Madge came here, masthead pendants and run- 

 ners were unknown on small craft, and in fact xxere by many con- 

 sidered a piece of useless complication; Ameiican yachts did not 

 need them, why should cutters have them? Now suppose that the 

 gentlemen who arranged the races between the cutter and the 

 sloops had said to C'upi. Duncan: "Of course you cancarrv your 

 masthead pendants, but you must either set both up taut or slack 

 off both before 9 A. M. on the day of the race and keep (hem in the 



same position during the race." This would not be any more tm- 

 reasonsble than the offer quoted above. 



As the record stands to-day in the big class, and it is the face of 

 the record which most men look at, it rests with tile cutters to 

 prove that they are as fast as the American boats; not that thev, 

 unhampered by any conditions, are as fast as Mayflower'in a crip- 

 pled condition and sailing tinder restrictions she xvas never built 

 to sail under, but. that when both are started under a fair allow- 

 ance, under equal restrictions:, and over an open course, the cutler 

 can show the xvay home. A fine victory it would be fo boast of if 

 Irex could carry her II5ft. over the course in safety, while May- 

 flower could not pass with her draft of :5lft.: or if at the end of the 

 race, with the latter ahead, she should be. compelled by any emer- 

 gency, to hand her board and hi! disbarred from a prize fairly won. 



Racing yachts ai'e built f or speed first of all, and withafull 

 realization of the rights anil duties of yacht clubs in fostering 

 none but a seagoing and capable vessel and of discouraging- all 

 racing machines, we submit that a- I he ease now stands, I here is 

 not sufficient evidence on which to disbar the centcrboard as a 

 dangerous feature; but still further, before such evidence is to be 

 sought for. the friends of the keel boat must fairly beat the cen- 

 terhoard or must surrender unconditionally. If the. keel boat is 

 the faster the question is settled.no one wants anything else. If 

 the centerhoard boat iN the faster, then fhc question of her other 

 qualities may be passed on; but never \x bile she remains unbeaten 

 can the Y. R. A. or any other body Legislate a victory for the keel 

 craft by labeling her rival "extra hazardous," and put ting her in 

 the category with the boiler of a racing steam yachl that has failed 

 to pass inspection. 



The present Season promises fq set t le two of the most import- 

 ant question- that have ex er concerned the yachting world. One 

 of these is the relative speed of the new American boats and the 

 best cutters. Our views as to the races of IP85-C are well knowu; we 

 decline to accept the result as conclusive until backed b\ races in 

 different weather. In crossing t he Atlantic for a race the May- 

 flower is sure of meeting the best of t be cutter fleet oxer floated, 

 and t he chances are good that there will be some weather that 

 maybe fairly considered a test. Now, what is wanted is a per- 

 fectly fair field. (Bourses and conditions that neither side call cavil 

 at when the race is over. We speak not as fricuds of the center- 

 board, but as the first, and staunchest friends of the keel boat, and 

 what wc want to chronicle at the end of 1887 is a record for them 

 as full, clean and beyond dispute as Clara made hist year. 



The other questiou as yet undecided is the -eagoing ability of 

 the new boats, a question the solution of which can only he 

 guessed at, hut which the passage of Mayflower is likely to settle, 

 There is no doubt of the power and ability of both her and Puri- 

 tan over the ordinary regatta courses and about the coast, and 

 the silly stories set afloat at times about their xx'eakness in the 

 races are not worth notice; but. they have never been tried as an 

 ocean passage is likely to try them, and not until they are can the 

 question be considered as Settled. In-lances aie brought forward 

 of centcrboard boats that have crossed the Atlantic, the little 

 Alice, Silvie and Vesta, but it is not considered that all these are, 

 vastly different craft, shoal, wide, and with all ballast stowed in- 

 side. Their behavior argue.-: nothing tor a boat at once wide and 

 deep xvith a great weight, of ballast hung as low as .possible; nor is 

 any light shed on the subject by the passage of ( 'lara, Genesta 

 and Galatea, all carrying heavy keels, hut without the excessive 

 beam. The question is most, important, and it must be finally 

 settled before the new type can be indorsed as .seagoing vessels. 



With Ihe latter question only Mayflower, her owner and her 

 designer are interested, and thev promise to do their parts: the 

 first rests with the British club-, and xve hopcthaf when the points 

 we have touched on are fully understood (hey will deal with them 

 in a xvay that xvill insure plenty of caning and fair spot! when 

 Max flower hoists her fighting (lag on the other side. At present 

 she xvill challenge for the (Queen's Cup, held by Arrow, and for the 

 two American cups held by Irex, neil her being: hampered by any 

 restrictions on the center board; but while she is going abroad for 

 racing and Will be ready to enter ot her races, she xvill enter none 

 uuder such couditions as t he Royal ! ondon Y. C. have imposed. 

 In regard to her visit the i'n Ui speaks as follows. and we hope that 

 yachtsmen generally will look at the matter in the same sensible 

 and lair-minded way: 



"Next to the decisive action of the Y. R. A. in altering (he 

 method of rating yac hts, fhc most promising feature is the an- 

 nouncement made this week that the Mayflower is to visit us this 

 summer, and. by anticipation, the question of admitting cenlcr- 

 hoarders into our matches lias been raised. We need not enter 

 into the general policy of the rule of excluding ccntcrbourd yacht s 

 from all matches, but il seems |o us highly desirable that the rule 

 should be xvaived for one xear. so far as certain matches are con- 

 cerned, and that the club should at once make known xxhat 

 matches I hey are xvilling to make the exception for. A vedtl iellOM 

 that the board should fixed down would practically exclude a 

 yacht fitted with one, as her draft would be so excessive; or she 

 would have to bouse so much of it that, she might as well house it 

 altogether. We therefore think that, if eenterboarder- are to be 

 admitted, they should be taken as they are, xvithoul restrictions 

 of any kind. 



"In connection with the promised visit of the Mayflower, it has 

 been announced that she will at once challenge for the Queen's 

 Cup, won by the Arrow from tin- America in 1868, and recently 

 turned into a challenge cup by Mr. Tankerville Chamberlayne. 

 This gentleman has already turned his thoughts toward preparing 

 his old ship for a contest with the Mayflower, and even for fids 

 event alone it is to be hoped that the American masterpiece will 

 be brought over, 



"Then 1 here are the Brenton Reef and ( 'ape May challenge cups, 

 now held by the Irex. The matches, indeed, bctxveen Irex and 

 Mayflower would be of stirring interest. A question has been 

 raised in America that the Y. I;. A. rule as to eenterboards Would 

 bar Mayflower from challenging ; but, so far as we can judge, the 

 \\ R. A. rules have nothing xvhatever to do with I he matter. The 

 only reference to rules in the published conditions under which 

 the contests arc to be sailed is that they are to be in accordance 

 xvith the rules of the New York Y. C, but without time allowance. 

 Thus il seems clear that centerlioardi r- could nol he barred by 

 Y. R. A. or any other rules." 



The position of the Foukst and Sthka.v on the kcel-renter- 

 board question has been clearly and strongly slated in times 

 past, but now, in putting forward the side of the centerhoard 

 yachts we do not propose to be misunderstood. In the new boats 

 the worst features that xxere formerly associated with the center- 

 beard have disappeared, and they are far different craft; but 

 looking at the question from a sailing point of view, without re- 

 gard to digging clams, to the exigencies of mudllat navigatfdmor 

 to similar modify ing influences, we consider the keel boat the 

 most perfect toed yet devised for those who take their enjoyment 

 on the water. It i- the proper i nst rtiinent for sailing wherever 

 local limitations do not interfere xx ith its use. In points of con- 

 struction and aceommodai ion it possesses enormous advantages. 

 The ccnterboard we consider a makeshift, but a most valuable one, 

 for without it the greater part of the Atlanlic coast and its con- 

 tributory watercourses would be useless both for trade and 

 pleasure. The ccnterboard boat of all kinds has its uses, the 

 fault begins when it is misapplied to a purpose for which it was 

 never d csigned or fitted. As to the great question of speed we do 

 nol claim that the keel is of necessity Easter than the board, hut 

 on the other band we distinctly deny that the board has yet 

 Shown its superiority over the keek. With a large existing fleet 

 of centcrboard boats already brought to a high stateof perfection 

 by years of experiment before (he first keel boat was known 

 here, the odds were vastly on the side of the former: but noxv, 

 With Shona, Clara and Bedouin xvell to xviudward of their re- 

 spective classes, and xvith Oriva's record still in remembrance, 

 there seems no immediate need to fear that the keels cannot take- 

 care of themselves on either side of the xvaler, without any such 

 protect ion and nursing a- is proposed in restrict ing the rights of 

 their rivals. 



MEDUSA. 



COM. CENTER'S cutter is on the ways for a shoe aft, to aid her 

 steering, and Mr. Alumm has done a very good job, the after 

 part of the shoe being of oak, through bolted with composition 

 metal, while the middle is of lead, also heavily bolted, cast in 

 place to fit the shape of the former lead keel. A piece of lead has 

 also been added at the fore end of keel, and t he rudder has been 

 backed to make it as deep as the bottom of the uexv shoe. The 

 draft xvill be 10ft. 5jn., but as the vacht is in every way fitted as a 

 seagoing vessel this i- little detriment. The cabin has been very 

 handsomely and tastefully fitted up and ornamented, and there is 

 not a boat of the size in the fleet to-day (hat can equal (he entire 

 inter.or from a cruising point of view, a snug and comfortable 

 home afloat. The outfit includes two complete rigs, that now in 

 use being a snug cruising rig with end of main boom over the taff- 

 rail and a short bowsprit. Of course the owner's ingenuity and 

 experience are visible everywhere, from the "anti-fouling" pennant 

 at the truck to the alterations just noted in the keel, all Of xvhich 

 work has been done directly under his personal supervision. Tho 

 racing honors ot bite have all gone to Boston, but with the many 

 changes made, in the Medusa it looks as though New York would 

 be able to boast this year of the most complete and perfect I v 

 ntted cruising yacht on the coast. 



THE SECOND CRUISE OF THE PILGRIM. 



PAUT J I. 



WE washed down decks, had breakfast underway and passed 

 out of the Piseataqua and by the hell buoy off Kitt's Rocks 

 at 8 o'clock, There was a light fog xvhich 1 viewed with some ap- 

 prehension, but the, sun soon scoffed it up, xve set the spinaker and 

 started qp the coast, with a light S.W. breeze. The wind gradually 

 worked around to S., to S.N.E., to E.S.E.. to E. and finally to E. by 

 N.. where it remained until evening. It xvas verv pleasant run- 

 ning along close to the coast and viewing hill and'dalo, inlet and 

 promontory-, breakers and Bandy beaches, summer cottages and 

 mammot h hotels. 



Off Cape Neddick xve bad a genuine sensation. The bovs were 

 dozing upon the faOUse and I xvas stretched out in tho'eockpit 

 steering, when J saw upon the starboard bow a quarter of a mile 

 axvay what I supposed was a man fishing. There was something 

 peculiar in his appearance and I reached for my glasses. When 

 I looked again lie had disappeared. 1 thought this very -1 range 

 and watched the place where be had been. In a minute heap, 

 peared, but before I could get my glasses focused upon him he 

 sank again just as I shouted to my crew, "Look at this, boys; here 

 IS the sea serpent." The hoy s wore up in a moment, but did nol sec 

 the strange object. Then 1 kept a lookout to starboard and thev 

 to port. In a few minutes thoy shouted, "Here he is!" The same 

 figure xvas upon the port bow, half a mile from the place of his 

 first appearance. 



I saw him just as he sank. Then he appeared soon upon our 

 beam, and then upon the port, quarter near Ihe breakers, but he 

 moved go rapidly and remained above the water so short a time, 

 that 1 could not gel a look with the glasses. He resembled a 

 black spar buoy, fit. long and lft. thick, increasing in size to the 

 surface of the xvaler, and inclined to it. at an angle of about 20° 

 from the vertical. There was a slight bend where the l-eck (?) 

 passed beneath the water, as if a larger body lay there in a hori- 

 zontal position, but I did not see a ny bead, eyes, rings, coils or 

 foaming wake such as other persons hax-e reported, lie kept 

 about a quarter of a mile, from us, moved with great rapidity, 

 and was perfectly at home in the yvater. He always" retired from 

 viexv politely backward, or sank right down, keeping the visible 

 portion of his body at the same angle wilh the vertical until out 

 Ot Bight. If ibis had been a fish I think he xvould have turned 

 forward. 1 have been much upon the ocean, have seen all the 

 mariue animals familiar to sailors, and knoxy the anatonn of 

 saurians, fishes and whales, but this inhabitant of the Maine 

 eoasl pusralcs me. An old sailor here says, "It was a killer." He 

 does not know any other name for it. It could not have been the 

 arm of tin octopus, or cuttlefish, because thai animal cannot 

 move so rapidly . Could it have been (he prohocis of a gigantic 

 swordfisbv 



The xvind had got around to the eastward by » o'clock, we had 

 taken in flic spinaker long before ami set (he jihtopsail, but xxere 

 obliged noxv lo lake this in because of the necessity of beating to 

 windward Out of the bight off AY ell's village and 'south of Cape 

 Porboise. The currenl swept doWn around the cape, the xvind was 

 gel ting around ahead, the sea began lo be heavy against us. and it 

 Was very ovideni t he weather was going to be foul. Lasl year the 

 PilgHm was caught hero the same way and obliged to seek a har- 

 bor at Kcnnebtinkport. I did not wish to run in i he re again, be- 

 cause one cannot get in till half flood and the accommodations 

 alongside a wharf are uncomfortable. So xve made a long leg off 

 shore and upon the next tack reached the entrance of Gape Por- 

 poise Harbor. The breakers xxere heavy, the reefs and rock-bound 

 shores were great walls of foam, and my "Coast Pilot" warned of 

 the many dangers of tiie entrance. I stood up near Old Prince 

 buoy and took a good look at the opening. It xvas narrow. obscure 

 alid forbidding. A few vessels could be seen at anchor inside. 

 Hoxv I wished w e xx ere among I hem. The sky in the east wasover- 

 cast xxitb dark, threatening clouds; the wind xvas rising every 

 minute: the sea was gelling cry uncomfortable; the sun was 

 -inking behind the land; we could not cook in such weather; we 

 needed rest; Wood Island was ten miles axvay; it xvould be mid- 

 night or later before wc could get up to it, and l hen I did not knoxx 

 the xx.-n into tin- harbor. Weighing all these facts anxiously,] 

 gazed again upon the breaker- and the islands, and tacked ship 

 Off shore xxjl l\ a hoa \ v heart. I xvould try for Wood Island and 

 trust to luck. 



Short lacks took us up to Cape Rocks and there xvas a dory 

 scudding in. We shouted and tacked, and ran in as near as we 

 dared: but the lone lisle i-ma V- eyes were bent upon home and he 

 beeded us not. Wo had set ihe ensign in the rigging an hour be- 

 fore, but no one noticed it. We tacked off shore again and plunged 

 onward. In a few minutes xve saw, far out to sea, a dory st rug- 

 gling toward Cape I'orpoise Harbor. It bad escaped our notice 

 while xve xxi- re baflling along tin- shore. Here xvas our chance. 

 The fisherman could take us in somewhere. The sheets xxere 

 payed off and xve swept doxvn upon him. 1 swung my hat and 

 shouted, "Can you take us in lo Cape Porpoise?" 



•"Yes, toller right along arter me, l*m goin' in mxself." 



-All rightl" 



Wc trimmed down, tacked and had a wet sheet and a flowing 

 sail. The Pilgrim went too fa-t for the -lory and the fisherman 

 looked back at us a little anxiously. Wc took in the staysail and 

 slacked off sheets. On we went just north of Old Prince, not too 

 close along Coat Island, passed the red huov to starboard, then 

 directly for ihe black channel buoy and passed it to port, then ran 

 toward the house upon the highest hill upon the right, picked up 

 a mooring pointed, out to us b} the fisherman and took in the 

 -ail-. 



"Do these moorings belong to anybody? Won't somebody di<- 

 i nrb u-v" ( asked. 



"Thev belong to you jest as much as to anybody ." 



"But 'the Coast Pilot says this place is crowded with fishermen, 

 and one can't lie here Without getting foul of somebody." 



"That's only in the fall when the vessels are artor herrin'. 

 You're all right here and safe in any blow. The channel is very 

 narrow; y ou'll see mud on both sides of yer when the tide goes 

 oni." 



"I'm very glad 1 met you; it looks like bad xveather." 



"Yes: guess we'll bev an easterly. I thought you was mighty 

 curagus to beat op -hoi-ein this nor'easter xvith the night comin' 

 on. Tho't p'haps you knew your way and was goin" into Stage 

 Harbor, (food harbor, sometimes. Rather rough for a small 

 craft. When wind's this xvay, current runs down shore mighty 

 hard. Knew what yer xvanted the minnil yer kept off. Fine 

 yaClit, ain't she?" 



"Yes; and a good sea boat. I'd not x-enture out this way in an 

 ordinary craft." 



"Hoxv much ballasf.'" 



"About 5,0l)IJlbs." 



"Tho't she xvas prefix stiff." 



" Whar vou frnm'.'" 



"Boston; left there tho 21st, and Newcastle Ibis morning." 

 "Ibex- make line boats doxvn in Bostin. 'Spose she cost most 

 «fa,000:' f 

 "No; about half as much." 



"Sho! yer don't sax so. Carries lots of sail, don't she''" 



"Yes, the ballast is loxv down." 



"Lots or room beloxx-, I see." 



"Wall, must be getting bum to clean my fish." 



"What shall I pay you?" 



"Nuthin." I don't charge nuthin. (Had I could accommodate 



"i am much obliged, but, I wish to pay you. Here, take this," 

 said 1, handing him a silver dollar. 



"All right, capliu; it' 1 go out to-morroxv I'll bring ver in a good 



fish." 



" "Very xvell, much obliged: good night, come aboard again. 



"Good night; it's git tin' thicker already." 



Then our good-hearted friend trimmed his small sail and Sped 

 up tho channel. . 



A thick mist had spread over the islands and ocean; ram began 

 lo fall; it was soon dark as pitch, and the xvind was blowing a gale 

 from the northeast. As xxe lay upon the cushions and listened to 

 the turmoil of tin- elements and occasionally looked out the 

 windows and saw nothing ex' epl a fexx anehor lights and the light 

 of ihe cape shining duply through the gloom, xve bless"d the old 

 fisherman and felt grateful to the Lord for our delivery, ft blew 

 aheavygalc feu- tbirtv-six. hours, and we were obi iged to delay 

 another day for the sea lo subside. Would the Pilgrim have 

 weathered iff 



Capo Porpoise is an interesting place to visit. A narrow chan- 

 nel extends a mile to the village and another one goes north and 

 conimuiiicat.es xvith Stage Harbor. High tide shows a broad bay; 

 when the t ide runs out it shrinks into a uarroxv estuary with ex- 

 tensive flats and dangerous ledges. The land is rough and unpro- 

 ductive, and the Inhaoitants arc mostly engaged in fishing. Some 

 quaitu characters max - be found every evening at the general 

 siore near (he landing, and their stories of Ashing and adventures 

 upon I he sea are verv interesting and instructive. We wanted 

 fresh milk and eggs, but could get neither, as the supply xvas car- 

 ried daily lo some of the summer hotels of the coast. At loxv tide 

 .lack and i took our guns and waded across the flats, and suc- 

 ceeded in bagging a dozen snipo in txvo hours, xvhich made an ex- 

 cellent stexv for dinner. It was considerable work to get them, 

 but much more to clean the poor little things. . 



I took a long shot at a ycllowleg, he fell and his companions flew 



