March 31, 1894.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



279 



Cruising in the Cy-Pres-1893. 



The story of our first cruise in the little keel sloop Cy-pres was told 

 in the Forest and Steeam about a year a.go, the yacht being; fully de- 

 scribed She is 25ft. over all, 32ft. l.w.l., 8ft. 6in. beam, and 4ft. 8in. 

 draft, with 4,8001bs. of iron on keel. 



When first built the Cy-pres was rigged as a catboat, and as her 

 mast was chock up in the eyes, the transoms or seats were carried 

 clear forward until they met iu the bows. This arrangement was not 

 changed when her rle was altered to that of a sloop, and she had, 

 therefore* a very much longer transom on each side than was usual or 

 necessary. In order to stow away clothing, dishes, knives, forks, 

 spoons, etc., I had built on the port side a bulkhead of yellow pine just 



7ft. from the after end of the cabin, and the width of the transom at 

 that point; 18in. forward of this was another bulkhead, leaving an 

 open iocker or compartment. 18in. wide by 2ft. high, in which were 

 screwed a number of coat hooks, where we had each an extra suit of 

 clothes, besides heavy pea jackets and numerous shoes, etc. The bot- 



the other. We slowly crept out past Kettle Island and into the steady 

 S.E. wind, when we took a board off shore till we could just fetch 

 Baker's Island Light on the port tack, then we went about and stood 

 for it. We expected to hold on this tack right up to Salem Harbor, 

 but as we neared Baker's Island the wind headed us off gradually 

 more and more till finally we were forced to go to the eastward of the 

 buoys on Misery Ledge". We stood close in to the shore off Beverly 

 Farms and tacked, about a half mile to the eastward of the Hospital 

 Point Light. The wind was fresh and unsteady, sweeping down out 

 of Beverly River in strong puffs, We overhauled and passed two 

 coasting schooners that had been a mile ahead of us at one time. The 

 tide was rising, so we ran well up the harbor at Salem, dropping our 

 anchor about 100yds from the end of Derby Wharf at 12:30 P. M. We 

 hurried ashore to get something to eat, but found the lunch rooms 

 pretty well cleaned out. The clerks in the stores, and the factory 

 hands make a rush for the restaurants at noon sharp, and unless you 

 get there before that hour, you will have iittle to choose from. After 

 trying one or two places, however, we succeeded in getting some soup, 

 bread and coffee, none of it of the hest quality. We then made a few 

 more purchases and ordered all our stores sent down to the wharf. 



We walked slowly back to where we had left our dingy tied at the 

 steps, and were surprised and pleased to find the wagon from the 

 grocery waiting there for us. They had packed everything into one 

 large box and the teamster helped us get it safely into the dingy where 

 it occupied the whole centre of the boat. F. and little Jacob sat in the 

 stern while I took the oars and pulled out to the yacht, where we found 

 it a difficult task to get the heavy box on board. We lashed the dingy 

 stem and stern to the yacht, and I finally succeeded in upending the 

 box and getting one end on the rail, then I boosted on the other end 

 while F. lifted it on board and we got it down below, where it com- 

 pletely filled all the standing room in the cabin. Then we took a rest 



MAGNOLIA COVE AND LANDING. 



torn of this compartment was the top of the transom, and was cut so 

 that access could be had to the space underneath Forward of the 

 second bulkhead was a tumbler rack, a shelf for plates, a drawer for 

 knives, spoons, forks, etc., and over the knife drawer was a roomy 

 shelf on which could be set bottles of pickles, jam, preserves, or what 

 not, there being loin, from the top of the drawer to the deck. 



Under the plate rack and drawer for knives was a long shelf in which 

 we kept our dishpan, saucepan and other cooking utensils, besides 

 our sugar, salt, coffee, milk, cocoa, bread and other eatables. Below 

 this shelf was the transom, and around it was a beading which pre- 

 vented things from sliding off, and we used this as a part of our shelf 

 room. We had all the room we needed and some to spare, and did not 

 see how we could use more if we had had it. Right up in the bows we 

 put two shelves, the top one 18in. from the deck. On this we kept our 

 side lights and anchor lights, and they filled it up nicely. On the lower 

 shelf we kept our sail bags, rubber boots, oilskins and such things as 

 we had very little use for. The oil can and lantern just fitted down in 

 front of the mast and steadied each other. 



The oil stove was kept in a deep pan such as bread is mixed in— we 

 picked out one with vertical sides and just large enough to hold the 

 Btove. We never took the stove out of this pan except when we 

 cleaned and washed the pan, which was not often. We lifted stove, 

 pan and all on to a box when we wanted to use it; this brought it up 

 to a very convenient height for cooking; when through with it we set 

 pan and all down into the box and it was out of the way completely. 

 We never had a particle of trouble with the oil spilling out into the 

 cabin; what did spill was caught in the pan and could be returned to 

 the stove or thrown overboard. This box just fitted down between 

 the transom aft of the mast; when cooking we could sit on the center- 

 hoard transom and reach the stove and everything in the lockers with- 

 out any trouble. ., . 



There was just room to sit up straight here between the carlms 

 after removing the starboard cushion. We hung a curtain aeross the 

 cabin from the bulkhead shown in the sketch to the starboard side by 

 means of a J^in. brass rod held in place by a couple of brass screw-eyes. 

 As the curtain was on rings we could push it onetfilde when cooking 

 and then had the whole interior of the boat open. 



The chain locker was on the starboard side, and to accommodate it 

 We cut out the floor forward of the end of the transom. Our windlass 

 was a gipsy, with sheares 5 or 6in. in diameter; this brought the chain 

 in rapidly and at the same time had plenty of power. 



The first of July found us speeding from an inland city to the sea- 

 shore as fast as steam could carry us. Swiftly we flew along the iron 

 track, but swifter still was the flight of thought, and all through the 

 long journey my mind was busy overhauling the rigsing, bending 

 sails, polishing brass work and doing the thousand thiugs necessary 

 to fit out a yacht for sea. We reached our destination on Saturday 

 evening and took the first train on Monday morning, July 3, for 

 Salem, Mass, where we bought our supplies— enough to last us fully a 

 month. As we did not intend to start on our cruise immediately we 

 had the supplies carefullv packed in a big box and told ths shop- 

 keeper to hold them till w'e should calt for them, as we had found on 

 previous occasions that we could not sail from Magnolia to Salem, 

 buy our provisions, stow them away on board and return in one day. 



Having provided for the necessaries and some of the comforts of 

 life, we took the electric street cars for Marblehead and were soon 

 at Billow's yard, where we found the Cy-pres launched and iu first- 

 class condition. Everything that had been ordered to he done was 

 attended to and in a very satisfactory manner. 



We cast off the mooring at 11:30 and ran out of the harbor before a. 

 light southeast, wind, which freshened as we went along, till we had 

 all we could stagger Under; after passing Baker's Island the sea 

 began to get up and we wished we had less sail on, but as we were 

 rapidlv nearing our home port we held on to everything and tore 

 through the water at a good rate. A fisherman had promised to have 

 our mooring ready for us, hut as there was such a chop running in 

 the cove we feared that he might not have been able to atteud to it, 

 as he had to get up the end of the chain and bend on the stump and 

 standing part. So we ran to the westward of Kettle Island and 

 dropped our anchor just one hour and a quarter from the time we 

 left Marblehead, eight miles away. On going ashore we found, how- 

 ever, that our mooring was all ready for us, but we did not take, the 

 yacht to it till the evening, as she lay more quietly where she was. 



Tuesday, July 4, was the day for the Marblehead Corinthian Y. C. 

 race, so at 10:30 we got underway and ran out to Half-way Rock, 

 where we lay to and waited for the yachts, and a beautiful sight it 

 was, Boine twenty or thirty yachts running before a moderate west- 

 erly breeze with every sail set. They came straight toward us, then 

 rounded the rock and tacked back toward the Brimbles, the 30-footer 

 Gladys leading in her class and rapidly overhauling the cats, which 

 had evidently started earlier. We were to leeward of the Rock and 

 of the fleet, and noticed that the boats that gave the Rock a good 

 berth held the wind longer and gained by it, although they sailed tur- 

 ther than those that hugged close in. The latter seemed to lose then- 

 headway when in the lee of the rock and suffered from being too close 

 to it. While we wire waiting for the racers to pass we had a good 

 view of the Jubilee, which followed them out. She tacked just to 

 leeward and ran close to us. She impressed us as a very powerful 

 vessel and one that was very quick in stays, but we did not think Her 

 beautiful— her long, full bow looked heavy and very ugly. 



The Cy-pres was hove to with the foresail aback, the boom sheeted 

 in to about where we carried it when close-hauled, and the jib sheet 

 eased off till it shook in the wind. She forged slowly ahead at the 

 rate of about a quarter of a mile in half an hour, and we decided to 

 try her with mainsail sheeted flatter next time. After the yachts had 

 all passed the Rock, we bore away for home, and with started sheets 

 bowled merrily along, enjoying to the utmost the bright blue sky and 

 bluer water, the crisp fresh air and dancing waves. 



Wednesday, July 5.— At 9 o'clock we got under way bound for 

 Salem to take on board our provisions, etc. We were a long time 

 getting out of the cove, as the light westerly wind seemed to be strug- 

 gling with a stronger S.E. breeze, and we would get first; one and then 



and a look around at the weather. The wind had died out completely 

 and a storm was evidently gathering in the S. W. 



After a half hour it grew less threatening and a good breeze sprang 

 up from the southward, so we weighed anchor and started back for 

 Magnolia. F. took the tiller, and I, after setting the foresail and stow- 

 ing the anchor, went below to break out the provisions. Little Jacob 

 helped me at this work, passing the articles forward to me as fast as 

 I found places for them in the lockers. As it still looked a httie 

 squally, we kept inside of Misery Island where the water was smooth 

 and where we could anchor at a moment's warning. After passing 

 Great Misery we ran between House Island and Smith'sPoint, keeping 

 a good lookout, for the Red buoy that marks the extreme end of a 

 nasty reef (White Ledge) that makes off to the southward from the 

 Ram Islands. , _ _ , , 



This reef runs out so far that it nearly overlaps House Island, and 

 it is hard to believe that the channel is between the red buoy and the 

 island. I very nearly ran aground here several years ago— the sea 

 breaking just 'under the bow when I noticed it. I was in a catboat at 

 the time, and the onlv thing that saved us from a bump was the way 

 she spun around on her heel as I jammed the tiller down. This inci- 

 dent fixed the position of the reef in my mind and I have never for- 

 gotten it. Keep House Island well on your port hand coming out 

 until you open clear water between it and Smith's Point or Ram 

 Island, then steer boldly through, keeping well over towards Ram 

 Island, as there are rocks near the northern point of House Island. 

 Ordinarlv there is 15ft. of water in this channel at low tide. With a 

 northeast wind and ebb tide there is a nasty chop here and it is hard 

 work beating ihrough it. (< - 



Just after passing through this channel we had a slight shower and 

 got out our oilskins, but a» it did not amount to much we soon slipped 

 them off again. W e could see showers behind us, but ran away from 

 them all, reaching our moorings in good season. That evemng a 



hp uled out for repairs and painting, or rowed through the harbor to 

 and out among those anchored there admiring their clean-cut lines 

 and trim appearance. In this way we passed a lazy, pleasant day,, 

 getting back on board the Cy pres in time for a hot supper before 

 dark. In the evening the numerous anchor lights were multiplied by 

 their reflections on the water, until it seemed as though there, was not 

 room for another boat anywhere. The clock in the town hall struck 

 the hours so they could be heard ail over the harbor, and at 9, iro 

 accordance with the usual New England customs, it rang long andi 

 loud, warning the good people of the village that it was time to go tp) 

 bed. We acted on the suggestion and turned in soon after, sleeping; 

 soundly till sunrise. 



Tuesday, July 11.— The morning was bright and fair on shore, Irate 

 hazy over over the water. We arose at 4 o'clock, got breakfast 

 washed the dishes, and were under way at 6. We ran out of the haf- 

 bor before a light southwest wind. After rounding Marblehead Rock 

 we flattened sheets hard in and ran close to Tom Moore's Rock and 

 Tinker's Island, lea ving both to starboard. We stood on this tack till" 

 near the whistling buoy off the Graves, when we went about on port 

 tack and headed for Nahant.' We just cleared Nahant Head on our 

 starboard and Bass Rock to port, and ran on toward Bailey's Hill, 

 where we tacked again. As we neared Nahant, Jubilee, which was 

 anchored there, spread her sails and started for Boston. She seemed 

 to move very fast in the light air and point very high, much higher 

 than we could, in fact, we were "not in it" at all. The schooner Sea 

 Fox was also at anchor here, aud her huge sails were going slowly up 

 as we passed. The Breeze, a smart-looking little schooner of about 

 40ft. l.w.l., got under way at just about the same time. She slood off 

 to the eastward, and we afterward saw her reported at Nova Scotia. 



The wind which had been light all the morning fell still lighter here, 

 and as we were now on starboard tack again, we were met by the 

 strong ebb tide and made very little progress, but we crept along 

 till just abreast and close to the black buoy on Devil's Back, when the 

 tide overcame the breeze and we began to drift stern first. We took 

 the bearings of objects on shore, and as soon as we were satisfied that, 

 we were actually losing ground, took in jib and foresail and dropped! 

 our anchor. After our anchor was down we were astonished at the 

 swiftness of the tide which went dashing past us, making a rushing; 

 sound as it was cleft by our stem. We saw then why we had come m 

 slowly from Nahant, and were satisfied that we had made any headl-- 

 way at all. 



We lay here for about two hours, with several coasting schooners', 

 anchored just ahead of us in the channel, and amused ourselves 

 watching the thousands of jelly fish that went whirling by. We got 

 out our compass and took the bearings of the prominent objects im 

 view, such as Deer Island aud Long Island lights, Nix's Mate Beacon ,. 

 Narrows light, etc. With the glass we could see Jubilee beating im 

 short tacks up the channel, beyond Fort Independence. Her huge top 

 sail anally disappeared and we saw no more of her till just before 

 sunset, when we. caught a glimpse of her going back to her anchorage 

 off Nahant. As it was now noon we took advantage of our enforced 

 idleness and ate our lunch. 



About this time we noticed that there seemed to be a great collection 

 of debris over toward Deer Island, and with the glass we could see that 

 it was probably due to an eddy formed by the current which comes 

 down through Shirley Gut, meeting that passing through President's 

 Roads, and concluded that if we could get over there we should be 

 able to work more easily up the harbor. As anything was better than 

 lying still in the hot sun, we got up our anchor and tried it. We found 

 it just as we had expected, and by working close into Deer Island, 

 looking out of course for Little Fawn Bar, were soon abreast of Deer 

 Island Light. There we struck again the full force of the tide, but in 

 two short tacks we were out of the worst of it, and had no further 

 trouble. Just before getting under way we noticed a fine-looking 30ft. 

 cutter working up the channel a mile ahead of us. Our lighter draft 

 enabled us to cut across the middle ground, and we gained rapidly on 

 her till we were forced to take the main channel again between Deer 

 and Long islands' lights, when she ran right away from us. 



Just after passing Spectacle Islands the breeze began to freshen, and 

 we were soon rail under, tearing along in the smooth water in fine 

 style. A nice little yawl called the Sea Fox chased us for a while, 

 taking tack and tack with us. We sailed a trifle faster than she did! 

 when we attended strictly to sailing the boat; but. as we were in 

 strange waters we could not do this, for we had to keep a sharp look- 

 out for buoys, etc. We worked up to Fort Independence, then stood 

 over to Thompson's Island, intending to go up the Neponset River and! 

 lie there over night. After taking several short tacks up the narrow- 

 channel and getting nearly to Commercial Point, we saw that the rest 

 of the river was very uninviting. The banks were covered with fac- 

 tories and mills, whose tall chimneys were vomiting out volumes of 

 dense black smoke; so we turned about and ran back to Thompson's- 

 Island, dropping our anchor near the dock on the west side of tha 

 island. 



We had not been lying there long, when we saw a lot of boys march- 

 ing down the hill two by two. They filed along the sandy beach,, 

 halted, and undressed and then made a dash for the water where they" 

 splashed and swam about for some minutes, and then at a signal from 

 one of the larger boys they all came out, dressed and marched back 

 again, in the same manner that they had come. The island appeared 

 very attractive from our anchorage. There is a large building a little 

 way from the dock, with a good road leading up to it, lined on both 

 sides with large shade trees. This we were informed was a school for 

 poor boys in Boston, a sort of manual training school for those who 

 are too poor to go elsewhere; only boys of good character are ad- 

 mitted and they are obliged to stay a certain number of years. On 

 leaving there they are able to take care of themselves and earn an 

 honest living. The place looked so inviting that we were strongly 



ANCHORAGE AT KETTLE ISLAND VIEW FROM MAGNOLIA POINT. 



heavy thunderstorm passed over the point and to the south of us, 

 doing considerable damage to yachting and farming property. 



We spent the next three or four days at Magnolia, getting cushions, 

 blankets, towels, etc, on board; grinding knives, polishing brass work 

 aud hardening our hands by takiug short sails morning and afternoon. 



Monday, July JO— After buying two loaves of fresh bread, one 

 dozen eggs, one pound of butter and a gallon of coal oil, we embarked 

 for the cruise, which was to be around the shore of Massachusetts Bay 

 from Gloucester or Magnolia to Provincetowu and back, as we felt 

 sure that we could find enough of interest in that direction to occupy 

 us two or three weeks. The morning was beautiful and bright with a 

 light S.W. wind. We cast off our mooring at 9:05 and sailed slowly 

 out of the cove, our friends on shore waving us a fond farewell. Just 

 as we passed Kettle Island we were met by a brisk breeze from b.E. 

 which enabled us to lay a good course for Baker's Island. This breeze 

 held true and strong enough to make delightful sailing, and vve 

 dropped anchor in front of Billow's boat house, in Marblehead a few 

 minutes after eleven, making the run of eight miles in just a httle 

 over two hours, stemming the ebb tide all the way. 



After luncheon we went ashore to settle our winter's bill with Bil- 

 lows, and to buy some cooking utensils, as we found that some of ours 

 had rusted badly during the winter, having been left on board the 

 yacht. We got a piece of wire cloth of about %xa. mesh made of fine 

 wire— lOin, wide and 12in. long— this we put on top of our oilstove, 

 bending the edges down all around. We had had trouble in getting 

 our coffee pot to stand on top of the stove at the same time with a can 

 of soup or a cup of water, as the top casting of the stove had five or 

 six little lugs sticking up to allow space underneath the cooking uten- 

 sils for ventilation. This wire cloth made a smoot h, even surface, and 

 we had no further trouble on this score. I had the washing^ of the 

 dishes to do as a regular part of my daily duties, and was delighted to 

 find a diminutive mop for sale made for that very purpose. It was 

 exactly like the mop used on deck but was about as big as a silver dol- 

 lar. I used it every day for the rest of the cruise and could have the 

 water boiling hot without scalding my fingers. 



We wandered around, the boat builders' yards looking at the yachts 



tempted to go ashore, but we had been told that we would not be pe 

 mitted to land, so did not try it. 



As we lay at anchor we had a fine view of part of Boston Bay. A 

 little southwest of us was Mt. Bodoin and Dorchester Heights. Beneath 

 these hills lay the yachts of the Savin Hill Y. C, most of them on the 

 mud at low tide. A little to the right of Dorchester is South Boston, 

 jutting well out into the water. Many yachts of all shapes and sizes 

 lay swinging at their moorings in Old Harbor, a well sheltered cove 

 except in a southeaster. It "was here that the storm of Aug. 14 

 wrought such fearful havock, piling seventy yachts iu a heap on the 

 shore. At the extreme end of South Boston or Dorchester point, there 

 is a tine substantia! iron bridge or causeway built out to and connecting 

 with Fort Independence or Oastle Island-part of this is covered over 

 and is used as a band stand occasionally. There are plenty of sea-s 

 and -electric lights, and of a hot summer evening it is a very pleasant 

 promenade. At sunset the clouds looked very stormy and wild but 

 we had a quiet night, the barometer high and steady. 



[to be continued.] 



Messrs. Ramage and Ferguson, Limited, Leith, launched on March 

 6 a steel screw steam yacht of about 262 tons, built for Mr. W. J. 

 Menzies, Stretton Hall, Maples, Cheshire. This yacht, which is named 

 the Zeta, was designed hy the builder. The following are her dimen- 

 sions: Length 133ft. 6in.; breadth, 20ft. Bin.; depth moulded, lift, 9in.; 

 and she is to be fitted with powerful triple-expansion engines, the 

 cylinders of which are 12in. , 19m., and 30ra. in diameter, by 21in. stroke, 

 Steam is supplied by a large boiler working at 1801b. pressure. The 

 vessel is schooner- rigged, and has a large area of canvas for use when 

 on foreign cruises. The cabin accommodation, in the fore part of the 

 vessel, consists of large deck saloon with chart-room in front, while 

 below there is a fine saloon with seven staterooms for the owner and 

 friends. In the after part of the vessel there is accommodation for 

 the officers and crew.— Engineering. 



