March 26, i89§.l 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
offer has been accepted by Commander Miller. Should 
the occasion arise, the yacht Avill be finished as a war 
vessel, the original plans being changed accordingly. 
Memories of Boating Days* 
(Candnued front pa^e 28=1.) 
During the summer of 1886 we sometimes discussed 
the advisability of making a cruise. But although many 
hot arguments were had, all hands seemed to have dilTer- 
ent ideas about where we should go. Our steward fa- 
vored a trip around Long Island or down the Jersey 
coast to the Delaware. The captain thought nothing 
short of a run cast as far as the Bay of Fundy would 
be worth while thinking about. I held forth on the 
beauties of the Hudson River, and said that a cruise 
up that stream as far as Albany and back would be a 
dream; the remaining member of our crew didn't care 
where we went, but said he would cast his lot with 
me. 
As the captain and cook held out, a cruise was ap- 
parently abandoned. A compromise was effected by 
agreeing to take the boat around to the Sound and 
keep her there for a month or two in order to have 
a change of some kind. Accordingly one fine morning 
we said good-by to Shecpshead and sailed away. We 
went up through the Narrows, the Upper Bay and East 
River, and arrived at Oak Point (Avhere we had already 
made arrangements to have her cared for during our 
absence at business) about S o'clock P. M. Having 
moored her safely in the offing and returned on shore 
in the dinghy, we took the little steamer which ran from 
here to Harlem and started for home, congratulating 
ourselves that the move we had made was a brilliant 
one. And so it was to be, for two members of the 
crew. 
On the^way to the bridge the party who had decided 
to cast his lot with me, and whose name; -vyas Alj rode 
"Al Lowered the Watermelon." 
with me, and we plotted and schemed together, 
the result being that a week later, having arranged to 
take our vacations simultaneously, we left home one 
Monday morning, leaving the impression behind that 
we were to make a railroad trip to Albany. Instead 
we made a railroad trip to Oak Point. I will not go into 
the details of the little cruise that resulted. We went 
down the Sound as far as Stamford, visiting a few 
places on the way there and back, and had a most en- 
joyable time. 
The following is a copy of the log, which was written 
at the end of each day: 
Oak Point, Monday, Aug. 2, 1886.— Arrived at the 
boat 10:45 A. M.; waited until 2:30 P. M., when we had 
on board friends W. L., M. T. and J. L. We got imder 
way and started off with wind S.S.W. out by Fort Schuy- 
ler and headed for City Island. Blowing hard as we 
passed Execution Light; put in single reef. Arrived 
off Glen Island 6 P. M.; tied up at old pier near chain 
ferry, which crosses from New Rochelle to the island. 
J. returned home on steamer, W. and M. have decided 
to stay another day; visited the island during the even- 
ing; 10:30 P. M. turn in, douse the glim. Al and W. 
take first watch. 
Tuesday, 3d. — Al woke M. and me at 2.30 A. M.; we 
turned out and they turned in. Al and W. snoring, M. 
and I shivering; wind blowing hard 3:30 A. M.; don't 
like this watching business. Went below and turned 
in 5:30 A. M.; got up, washed down deck and had 
breakfast. W. and M. went on shore for a stroll; Al 
and I washed dishes. When they returned we went to 
look for a grocery store. Took wrong road coming 
back. Young woman directed us right. Went to Glen 
Island again; came back, had dinner. Bill of fare, steak, 
fried - potatoes, stewed tomatoes, pickles, coffee, bread 
and butter. Dessert, hot punch and cigars. After dinner 
plained accordion, sang songs, took a sail out around 
the island and back. 'W. and M. went home; furled up 
sails; 9:30 turn in. 
Wednesday, 4th. — Laid in some more provisions; left 
New Rochelle at 10:15 A. M.; wind light; pleasant run 
to Oriental Grove, where a large steam yacht lay , at 
her pier. Her name was the Orienta. l^an alongside 
and climbed on to dock; asked for captain, who presently 
came on deck; asked him questions about our course, 
which he cheerfully answered; chatted with us for half 
an hour; seemed quite interested in our venture. Started 
off again. Off Rye Beach Ave saw the remains of a 
steamer called the Capitol City, which had been wrecked 
here. 
' Near Captain's Island it began to shower. Two young 
ladies, who were rowing, asked us to tow them ashore. 
Took them on board and shortly afterward landed Ihem 
at a place called the Cliff House; said they were stopping 
there; profuse in their thanks; gave them a salute from 
our cannon as we bore away. Missed the entrance to 
Port Chester, if there is any; came to anchor in a small 
basin inclosed on three sides by high cliffs. A .gang 
of men were quarrying stone, which was being loaded 
on to some schooners lying close to shore. Cooked 
dinner. A boy came alongside in a skiff and watched 
us cat. Got rid of him by sending him on a fool's errand. 
While he was gone we left the place. 
A short sail and we arrived at Indian Harbor, Green- 
wich, Conn. Cleaned up and went on shore, visited the 
town, and on waj-- back purchased a water melon. Ar- 
riving at the wharf found the tide had faUen so low 
that Monaitipee was sitting in the mud and listing to 
port and away from the pier. I managed to get down 
on board and throw a rope to Al, and he lowered the 
water melon and then climbed down himself. 
Had a hard job cooking supper; took an hour; re- 
quired two to eat it. Sat in the cockpit singing, playing 
accordion (until a voice from shore said, "Stop it") 
and eating water melon. Boat floated about Ji o'clock 
and we decide to turn in. 
Thursday, sth. — Awoke at 6 A. M.; Aveather fine. Al 
posted letters. I cooked breakfast. Got away just in 
time to prevent grounding again. Very light breeze. 
Saluted cruising yachts as we passed out of the harbor. 
Arrived off Stamford. Decided not to land, but to 
start on our return. Must be home Sunday, and wish to 
stop here and there on our way. Wind fell flat, and in 
three hours made but five miles. Then a breeze sprang 
up and made things lively. Looks stormy to the west- 
ward. Raining hard. Lee deck awash. Donned oil 
clothes and settled down for an exciting sail; had it; 
put into New Rochelle again shortly after dark; scraped 
the bark off the pier as we luffed up alongside of it. 
No harm done. Moored the yacht with the rain coming 
down in torrents. Glad to get in here, where it is 
quite comfortable since we got the stove going. Rather 
be where we are than out on the Sound. Supper tasted 
good to-night. " We are getting fierce appetites. 
Friday, 6th. — Still raining when we got up this morn- 
ing, but cleared up at 8 o'clock. At 9 Ave set sail and 
started out to look for a place called Pea Island, Avhich 
Ave had been recommended to visit. Must have lost 
our bearings; could not find it. 
Started across the Sound toward Long Island, and 
arrived off Sands Point after an hour's sail We landed 
on the beach near the lighthouse, and spent three hours 
idling about the locality. Went on board and proceeded 
on our wa}'. A short distance further on Ave fell in Avith 
an excursion from Brooklyn, landed at the grove and 
had a good time. Met scA^eral friends; took four of them 
out for a sail. They Avere very curious, and the two 
ladies couldn't imagine how we could exist on such 
a little boat. Got back just in time to get them on the 
barge before it left. As the tug puffed away with its gay 
party Ave discharged our Long Tom as a good-by. 
Headed homeward once more. Looks squally. Fell 
in with a yacht fl3dng Knickerbocker Y. C. flag, and 
kept company with her for some time. After passing 
Fort Schuyler we attempted to cook supper, but the 
Sound steamers passing out made such a disturbance that 
we could not keep the oil stove going. About sundOAvn 
we rounded up at Oak Point with a ringing discharge 
from our howitzer on the forward deck. An extra charge 
had been put into it for this occasion, and as she belched 
forth the breech rope that held it to the bitts parted 
and it came within an inch of going overboard. The little 
Harlem steamer gave us an answer of three blasts from 
her whistle and we dropped anchor very Avell satisfied 
with our little trip. 
The foUoAving summer we met with an accident, Avhich 
came very near ending the career of Monaitipee as, well 
as that of tAvo of the crew and a friend. Tavo weeks 
previous to this incident we made a visit to Red Bank, 
.on the North Shrewsbury River, and instead of return- 
ing to Sheepshead Bay went to Bay Ridge in order to 
accept a challenge Ave had received to race a sloop 
named Lizzie. We sailed the race July 10, the first and 
only race our boat ever participated in up to the day 
we sold her. The course was a triangular one, starting 
from the foot of TAventy-seventh street. Bay Ridge, 
around Fort Lafayette, off Fort Hamilton, thence around 
the buoy off Robbin's Reef and home. 
The result was as much a surprise to ourselves as it 
was to the crew of Lizzie. In a fine whole sail breeze 
Monaitipee took the lead at the start and when Ave 
crossed the finish line our opponent and challenger 
was rounding the mark at Robbin's Reef. TAventy-five 
minutes later she finished with the first blasts of a 
thunder squall to help her along. On the run home be- 
fore the wind she carried a large spinaker in addition to 
her ordinary canvas. Monaitipee used only mainsail' 
and jib throughout the race. 
We got our flags, and on Sunday, 17th, the cook, a 
friend named Dick Clark and myself started to take 
the boat back to the bay. The wind was very light when 
we started and soon died out entirely. The heat Avas in- 
tense, and Avhile drifting in Gravesend Bay Ave undressed 
and jumping overboard swam alongside for a half hour. 
About noon time we were jogging along off Coney 
Island, having picked up a little breeze. We had just 
passed the Oriental Hotel and Avere about a mile and 
a half off shore, when on looking back I saw a great 
cloud of dust enveloping West Brighton. We had 
noticed some time before that there were indications 
of a thunderstorm in the nortliAvest, and when the 
little breeze came along we set the clubtopsail, hoping to 
get into the bay before it arrived* 
From all appearances it looked as though there v/ould 
at least a half hour elapse before it reached us, and on 
glancing back toAvard the island and seeing the tre- 
mendous cloud of dust and sand I cried out that there 
must have been an explosion at the beach. The words 
had barely been uttered when -I reah'zed that the storm 
was upon us. I never saw a squall approach more 
rapidljf. It was a cyclone, and came hissing and howl- 
ing across the Avater with the speed of a locomotive, 
and driving a Avall of foam before it. To get sail off in 
the quickest possible time Avas our one thought. The 
first gust struck as we were hauling down the top- 
sail. The boat heeled to the blow, and the wind catch- 
ing the topsail, which was all adrift, forced it through' 
between the backstay and the topmast, The club caught 
on the spreader, and in trying to get it clear the down- 
haul pulled out of the sail, and there was our kite 
bellied out like a balloon and no way to get it down 
without going aloft. The yacht was driving before the 
storni at a terrific rate by this time. We hauled down 
the jib and mainsail, having to jump on the hoops to 
loAver the latter. 
Taking a knife, I started to climb the mast to cut the 
topsail loose, but before I reached the spreader the full 
force of the gale struck broadside on. It was almost- 
pitch dark; a terrific whirlwind of sand and hail stones 
accompanied the onslaught, T felt the boat going over 
and I quickly slid down to the deck; reached the cock- 
pit, into Avhich the water was already pouring and added 
my strength to that of the cook in trying to pay her off. 
It was useless; she paid no more attention to the rudder 
than if it had been a match. We tore off all our clothes 
and fastened the doors, and locking those doors I be- 
lieve saved bur lives. 
Monaitipee died hard; she did not capsize, as most 
boats do; she was literally jammed over flat on the 
water by the strength of the screaming blast. We had 
sufficient time to prepare ourselves and secure a firm 
hold before she finally lay broad on her beam ends half 
under Avater, and every wave making a clean breach over 
her. Ller topmast Avas visible and the topsail still cling- 
ing to it, dragging in the water. We clung desperately 
to the long oar which had been lying on deck with a 
vague hope that it might be of service in helping to sus- 
tain us in case the boat sank and Av-e should haA'e to take 
to the Avater. The cuok and I could swim, but Dick could 
not. 
We fully expected the yacht to sink, as she was heavily 
ballasted, and as she kept settling knver and lower we 
figured that she could not float more than ten or fifteen 
ininutes. We arranged Avith Dick that when she Avent 
down be should cling to the middle of the oar and we 
would each take an end and do our best to keep him and 
ourselves above Avater. While we made this plan we 
knew in our oAvn hearts that Ave could not hold out 
in such a smother of foam five minutes, but avc could 
not bring ourselves to acknoAvledge that such was the 
case. 
We sat in a line astraddle o£ thfe boat, *ith one leg in- 
"They Dashed against Us and Fhing their Spray 25ft. Beyond." 
side the cockpit coaming and the other hanging over 
the rail, and clinging on with a death grip in order to 
resist the force of the seas that nearly choked us as they 
dashed against us and flung their spray 25ft. beyond. 
For an hour we clung to our sloAvly settling craft, ex- 
pecting each moment to feel her drop from under us. 
By this time she was so low that every Avave hid her 
from sight as it dashed over us. We Avere blue Avith the 
cold and almost exhausted. The part on which we sat 
suddenly settled down. We felt our end was near, and 
shook hands. Not a Avord Avas said, and I guess each 
of us Avas occupied with such a multiplicity of thoughts 
of our own tiiat words were forgotten. Poor Dick AvaS 
a pitiful sight as he gasped and sputtered between each 
surge, and set his teeth and took a fresh hold to Avith- 
staiid the next. 
As the stern of the boat sank I suddenly cried to my 
companions to move forAvard toward the boAV. They 
did so, hitching themseh^es along laboriously, while I 
followed It had the eft"ect I hoped for. The after part 
slowly rose to the surface, and Ave managed to keep her 
balanced in this way for some time, until presently Ave 
saw with joy that the storm was abating. 
It stopped almost as suddenly as it began. Fifteen 
minutes after it broke the sun Avas shining and the sur- 
face of the water Avas almost as smooth as glass. When 
Ave could see for any distance we strained our eyes, vainly 
looking for some craft to Avhich we might signal for 
help. Not a boat was in sight. A moment later, Avhile 
gazing toward Manhattan Beach, Avhich was now nearly 
three miles away, J perceived Avhat ajipeared to be a 
roAvboat heading toward us; and such it turned out to 
be. It seemed an age before it was Avithin hailing dis- 
tance. When it, finally came up we were bu.sily occu- 
pied in playing a sort of see-saw on Monaitipee in order 
to keep our heads above water. 
We found out on reaching shore that the captain of 
the Manhattan Beach Life-Saving Station had been 
Avatching us through his glasses at the moment the 
squall Struck, and perceiving we were in trouble, imme- 
