104 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Feb. 1, 1896. 
PALMYRA. 
very short time. Our squaresail was made in two sections : 
the upper of No. 1 duck, 20ft. in hoist, and permanently 
attached to the yard. The sail was bent to the yard on 
hoops, and when not in use was tightly brailed up and 
furled. It hung parallel with the foremast, and was 
securely lashed to keep it from swinging about. The bon- 
net, or lower section of squaresail, was of much lighter 
canvas and 34ft. in length, which gave the whole sail a 
hoist of 54ft. when set. Six brailing lines were rove off 
every time the sail was set, two on the upper section and 
four on the bonnet. Each brail and outhaul worked in- 
dependently, and as there was a tack in the center of the 
foot of the sail the weather side of the squaresail could be 
set at any time. We also had main and foretrysails, and 
numerous kites, such as jibtopsails, maintopmast staysails, 
etc. 
Open house was kept on Yampa until midnight of Jan. 
16, at which time all hands were ordered to report on 
board and stand by for an early start next morning. It 
was a most unpleasant night to start out on a yachting 
trip — raining hard and as cold as charity. After bidding 
farewell to all my relatives, friends, etc., and wading 
through the numerous ponds that are always to be found 
in East Twenty-sixth street on a rainy day, I must confess 
that I felt rather blue. However, one look at the sign 
("Charities and Correction") over the pier seemed to in- 
spire me with new life. Had quite a time rousing the 
watchman of the dock, as it was 1 A. M. , but at last suc- 
ceeded, and went aboard Yampa and reported for duty. 
The rest of the boys were all on board, and were going 
down as far as the Hook next morning to give us a good . 
send off. Our crew consisted of nineteen men all told, to 
say nothing of the dog (Dapper, a fox-terrier): Capt. 
Edward Sherlock, First Mate John Burt and Second Mate 
Wm. Carrol, two cooks, two stewards and twelve men 
before the mast. They were all deep-sea men, and as good 
a crew as ever trod a vessel's deck. 
Jan. 17. — Turned out at 7 A.M.; beautiful morning, 
but cold. Wind W. and very puffy. All bauds were 
hard at work stowing away things and making the decks 
look shipshape. While we were eating breakfast about 
8:30 A. M. the tug came alongside and passed us a line; 
we got in our stern lines and started heaving up anchors. 
By 9 A. M. we had both anchors catted and were moving 
down the East River. 
It was horribly cold on the trip down the Bay, and the 
snow-covered hills of Staten Island did not tend to cheer 
us up. At 12:80 we bad a light lunch and the boys drank 
numerous toasts to T. and me and wished us all kinds 
of good luck, etc. Off Scotland Lightship at 1:15 P. M. 
the tug dropped us a,nd came alongside and took off Mr. 
Palmer and the rest of the party. Being still on crutches 
from a fall in riding Mr. Palmer could not make the pas- 
sage, but was to join us by steamer at Gibraltar. We 
then manned the side and gave them three cheers, which 
they returned with a will, the tug assisting with numer- 
ous blasts from her whistle. 
Then it was "all hands make sail," which was done in 
a very short time. In hoisting the mainsail and foresail 
large lumps of ice (which had frozen in the numerous 
bights of the sails) fell to the deck, I thought T.'s re- 
mark at that time — "It's poor weather to go yachting 
in" — came very near being correct. 
Started under full sail except flying jib, with a fine old 
westerly breeze and smooth sea. The tug followed us 
until 2 P. M. , when we commenced to walk away from 
her. She whistled us a sweet farewell and we answered 
the salute by firing a gun. The last we saw of the tug 
she was making tracks for New York, and the next land 
we expected to see was Sb. Michaels, Azores. 
At 3 P. M. the wind hauled to N.W., and we downed 
foresail and forestaysail and set whole squaresail. Quite 
a good sea on now and Yampa riding like a duck and 
logging 11 knots. At 4 P. M. wind increased some; found 
that jib was simply slatting about and doing no work, so 
we downed it. 
On deck all afternoon trying to get acclimatized, but 
found it rather cold work. Took a trick at the wheel 
and managed to warm up. When dinner was ready at 
6 P. M, found I was hungry as a wolf. T. was rather 
squeamish and did not eat very much. Sea picking up all 
the time. On deck until 9 P. M. Wind N.W., blowing 
steadily. Yampa under whole mainsail and squaresail 
and doing 10 knots. Read until 10:30, then turned in. 
Jan. IS. — Wind continued steady, and at 3 A. M. we 
ran into the Gulf Stream; found quite a sea on and all 
over the shop. Steward called us at 8 A. M. and brought 
some tea biscuits, which we stowed away before turning 
out. 
On deck in a very short time, and found the weather 
very much warmer. Wind still N.W., and Yampa under 
mainsail and squaresail. Fine, clear day, and very few 
of the clouds that are usually seen hanging over the 
Stream. We are now running dead squared and the sea 
is cut up so that it gives her a very peculiar motion. 
Spent all morning reeving off life lines and putting on 
chafing gear. 
The amount of chafing that occurs on a sailing vessel 
at sea would surprise one who has never seen it. Every 
place that a rope touches it chafes, and to quote our 
second mate, "A packet like this will do more chafing in 
two days off shore than she would in five years knocking 
along the beach." From what I have seen I think he is 
right. Drew a bucket of water about noon and found its 
temperature was 70°. So much warmer this afternoon 
that we have been knocking about without overcoats. 
Took a short trick at wheel and found it rather hard 
work. At 6 P. M. wind backed round to west again, and 
we downed squaresail and set foresail, forestaysail and 
jib. 
Breezed up all the evening, but we hung on to every- 
thing, and drove her through it until 11 P. M., then turned 
out all hands, double reefed mainsail and put single reef 
in foresail. Midnight — wind increasing and sea picking 
up all the time. 
Jan. 19. — Kept her going all night under the same sail. 
On deck at 8 A. M. Blowing half a gale from the west 
and a howling old sea on. Going like a race horse. T. 
was too sick this A. M, to turn out for breakfast, and re- 
solved to remain in his bunk and await developments. 
Oilskins and boots were the uniform for the day, as it 
rains occasionally and we are driving her. Gale in- 
creased during the morning and sea getting worse 
all the time. Took in double reefed mainsail at 11 
A. M,, and set maintrysail, which eased her up a 
good bit. At 11:30 set the upper part of squaresail 
and hoisted the yard about half-way up the fore- 
mast. We are now doing 12$ knots. Had a large and 
elegant appetite for luncheon and as T. was still too sick 
to turn out I ate both rations. We battened her down 
about noon, as sea was getting worse all the time. At 2 
P. M. wind shifted to N.W. and blew harder than ever. 
Brailed up squaresail and jibed over. Took a green sea 
over the weather quarter that stove in the port quarter 
of our lifeboat. 
The lifeboat was stowed on the starboard quarter of 
Yampa and made a very handy deck locker. Wind contin- 
ued very squally all afternoon and it rained occasionally. 
At 6:10 P. M. we had logged just 500 miles from Scotland 
Lightship. Had to dine alone this evening as T. 
was still confined to his bunk. At 8 P. M. a flying fish 
(who evidently mistook our port fight for the rising sun) 
flew aboard. He struck the maintrysail and fell on deck. 
One of the crew caught him and we examined him by the 
light of the binnacle. Gale increased about 11 P. M. and 
we took bonnet off forestaysail and put another reef in 
foresail. Yampa now under maintrysail, double reefed 
foresail, reefed forestaysail and jib. Several seas boarded 
us during the night, but did no damage. 
Jan. 20. — Wind hauled more to the north during the 
early morning. When I got on deck at 8 A. M. wind 
was N.N.W. and blowing a gale. Mate wanted to heave 
to, but the skipper would not have it. "Keep her run- 
ning and we will run out of it in a day or so" — were the 
orders. Kept her running all the morning with wind off 
the port quarter. The sea was now mountains high and 
one of the finest sights I have ever seen. When we were 
down in the hollow it looked as if the next sea was 
coming aboard and would sweep the deck. We did ship 
one or two over the weather quarter, one of which 
soaked me to the skin. Had to go below and make a 
complete shift. 
At 11 A. M. we put out an oil bag from the weather cat- 
head and it acted like a charm — in fact seemed to take 
all the top from the seas and they were feathery white. 
On looking astern when on the top of a sea our track 
marked by the oil looked like a beaten trail through some 
dense woods. At noon sighted a bark bound west, hove 
to on the starboard tack, under lower topsails and fore- 
staysail. She seemed to be making very poor weather of 
it and I could not help thinking 'of that old proverb, 
"It's an ill wind," etc., as at that time we were logging 
from 13£ to 14 knots an hour. 
During the afternoon we had some heavy rain squalls, 
but not enough to make any perceptible difference in the 
size of the sea. Crew had been hard at work all day re- 
newing chafing gear. The sea for the last two days had 
been enough to chafe out anything. T. spent all day 
in his bunk reading, and now feels much better. Have 
had to use the companionway of the galley as an entrance 
and exit to the cabin ever since we battened her down. 
Gale moderated a little about 8 P. M. , but was still rather 
squally. Sea also smoothing some, and we took in oil 
bag. Had been running all day under maintrysail, 
double reefed foresail, reefed forestaysail and jib. At 
midnight wind had become steady, so shook out one reef 
in foresail. Sea smoothing a bit. 
Jan. 21. — Carried the same sail all early morning. On 
turning out at 8 A. M. found that sea had smoothed some. 
T. turned out for breakfast as fresh as a 2-year-old. 
It was a beautiful day, and as warm as toast. Sat around 
on deck in the sun all morning, and felt sorry for all the 
poor devils that were freezing in New York. Dapper 
(the fox-terrier) also made his appearance on deck this 
A. M. and looked very fit for a dog that had eaten noth- 
ing for two days. Tried to tempt him with all kinds of 
biscuits and at last he succumbed to some gingersnapa, 
which seemed to brace him right up. 
At noon the skipper, T. and I took altitude of sun, 
and on working it out found we had run down to 33° N. 
Found it rather hard work at first to keep my feet and take 
a sight. Finally I got a brace in the lee rigging and suc- 
ceeded. At 12:30 the lookout reported, "Sail ho!" dead 
ahead. All hands and the cook tumbled on deck to see the 
show. After a few minutes we made her out to be a 
tramp Bteamer bound to the westward, with mainsail, 
foresail and jib set. 
We got our ensign out and, as mainsail was not set, we 
lashed it to one of the topping lifts. Also got our num- 
ber, K. D. W. S., and sent it up to the maintop. The 
tramp passed about a quarter of a mile to leeward of us 
and hoisted English colors. Shortly afterward she sent 
up answering pennant. She was a small vessel, light and 
rolling like a log. The small rags of sails she was carry- 
ing did not appear to be doing her much good, for she 
seemed to roll as much to windward as to leeward. Wind 
lightened up some at 1 :30 P. M. and we shook out the 
reef in foresail. Sea still pretty bad, but has lost all its 
angry look. Carried same sail until the second dog watch 
and then put single reef in foresail again. At 7 P. M. we 
had logged just 1,000 miles from Scotland Lightship. 
Wind steady and sea still very high. On deck until 10 
P. M. 
Jan. 22.— Wind shifted to N.W. about 3 A. M. and let 
up a bit. Sea smoothing all the time. At daylight shook 
out reef in foresail and put bonnet on forestaysail. On 
deck at 8 A. M., beautiful morning and as balmy as June. 
Sea smooth enough for us to take off all battens and give 
the cabins a chance to air. At 9:30 A. M. set foretopsail. 
Yampa now under maintrysail, foresail and topsail, fore- 
staysail and jib, and doing about 10 knots. 
Crew spent all morning making chafing gear and over- 
hauling running rigging, etc. At noon took sight for lati- 
tude. 12:30 downed maintrysail and set double reefed 
mainsail. Spent all afternoon on deck reading, etc. 
Wind continued the same until 5 P. M., when it hauled 
more to the westward. Clewed up foretopsail and downed 
forestaysail and set the upper part of squaresail. 

PALMTEA. 
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