July 25, 1903.] 
FOREST AND STREAM 
getting dressed, went ashore and found a really very 
good meal awaiting us. We were not nearly rested yet 
so went back to the boat to straighten things out, and 
by 9.30 were asleep once more. The next morning (Sun- 
day) we found the weather much the same as the day 
before, strong east wind, big sea running with every 
chance of its coming on thick before long, so we decided 
to rest ourselves till afternoon anyway. Had breakfast 
and loafed around the boat reading a morning paper a 
boatman threw us as he passed. We were very well satis- 
fied now and began to look forward to some good weather 
on the morrow. Had some lunch about one o'clock, and 
in the afternoon the weather still being bad, went over 
to Pine Orchard, a two-mile row, getting back to Money 
Island about six for dinner. We found this a very pic- 
turesque place, not over an acre of ground, just filled with 
small cottages. It can be reached from the east or the 
southeast, and is a very good place to lie, except for a 
southerly blow. On Monday morning we got up, had a 
breakfast of eggs, bacon and coffee, and on looking at 
the weather made up our minds to get out or bust. The 
wind was a light one from the east and no sea, so im- 
mediately after breakfast we got up sail. (We washed 
our dishes just before our meals instead of just after). 
Were trying for Saybrook breakwater to-day, at the 
mouth of the Connecticut River, and further if possible. 
It was a beat all the way. The New Haven Yacht Club 
and the Sachem's Head Yacht Club were starting on a 
cruise together, and the way they all showed us their 
name plates was not only thoughtful of them, but was 
also very discouraging to us, for we now realized what 
a slow old tub we had. We plunged on however, and 
about noon were off Falkner's Island. At three we picked 
up little Duck Island and went inside the breakwater. 
This we found a very good harbor for all craft, about 
half way between New Haven and New London. Corn- 
field Point was passed about 4,30, and we saw if the 
wind held we would make Saybrook. It held all right, 
but when about two miles west of there a dense fog blew 
in and we could not see 100 feet away. This was a fine 
pickle for us to be in as we had no chart, our compass 
was out of order, and our boat an awfully poor one in a 
blow. We kept on just the same, being guided by the 
lighthotige fog signals, which were audible to us here. 
About a mile from the breakwater a small sloop loomed 
up just ahead. We luffed up and she just got by us. 
They were coming from the eastward making for Say- 
brook and had missed it completely. We told them to 
follow us, and also got them to look up the harbor en- 
trance on their chart. Tliis they did, and about 7.30 
rounded the breakwater and stood in. We kindly al- 
lowed them to go first, which turned out to be very lucky 
as they stood in too close to the breakwater and went 
hard aground. We luffed up just in time and waited to 
see if we could be of any assistance, but there was 
nothing to be done, so started on. Just at this point 
the wind dropped completely, and here Tom showed his 
cleverness. He called for me to get the sail down and 
dropped anchor P. D. Q. This I managed to do as quick- 
ly as possible, and none too soon, for just as the peak 
struck the boom a squall struck us. It was a dandy and 
blew so hard we started for the other anchor. By the 
time we got it over, it was raining pitchforks and blow- 
ing hard enough to almost take us off the boat. Got into 
the cabin and started to cook dinner, considering our- 
selves extremely lucl<y to have gotten into port the time 
we did, as it would have been more than disagreeable 
to have been caught outside in such weather. The din- 
ner, with the help of a few glasses of that Kentucky bev- 
erage, set us on our feet again, and we dropped off to 
sleep, with nothing but the swash of the water against 
the boat and the rain pattering on the cabin roof to 
disturb our well-earned slumbers. 
Tuesday was a raw day indeed, with lots of fog and no 
wind, also found we were aground. Ever3rthing was in 
disorder and we were pretty well disgusted, so got 
dressed and rowed over to the Hartford Yacht Club for 
breakfast. We made a good, meal here and walked up 
to Fenwick HaU, a summer hotel and lounged around 
there all the morning, and about one o'clock we sauntered 
down to the boat to put things in oi'der. The weather 
now seemed more propitious, the fog having lifted, and 
a fair wind coming from the east, so decided to strike 
across the Sound for Plum Gut. I forgot to mention 
that the boat had drifted off with the tide. We calcu- 
lated on one long leg to the Gut and a broad reach to 
Shelter Island, but when we reached the middle of the 
Sound the wind veered around to southeast, so it was a 
dead beat again. We struck Plum Gut at six o'clock. 
The tide we had depended upon to take us through had 
turned, and to add to our discomfort the wind was drop- 
ping and a squall was making up in the northwest and 
was coming right towards us. There was absolutely no 
place to go however, so stuck Lo it and at last got around 
to the south shore of Plum Island. Did not dare to risk 
trying for Shelter Island, as we would surely have been 
carried out in the Sound again by the tide. We anchored 
here, the boat bobbing around like a- cork. The squall 
blew off to the northeast, but as it was so late we did not 
start out again. Cooked up a fine dinner of soup, steak, 
corn and coffee and went to sleep to the accompaniment 
of a fife and drum corps on Plum Island. Any noise was 
welcome here as it was decidedly lonesome. Next morn- 
ing we reached Shelter Island without much excitement. 
Anchored off the Shelter Island Yacht Club about noon 
and went ashore for lunch. We fooled around here all 
day stocking up, also took a journey to Greenpoint and 
tried to have our compass repaired, but finding this im- 
possible, purchased a small dory compass. Thursday we 
started for Sag Harbor, making our course around to 
westward of the Island. This we found a very pleasant 
sail indeed, Just a good sailing breeze from the south- 
east and made it nicely. Sag Harbor we found nearly as 
slow as the play of that name that I saw in New York 
two winters before. A quiet old town, the activity being 
the mills. A peculiar custom was in vogue there at the 
time, one that we considered decidedly unique. At the 
previous election the Prohibitionists had won, so there 
was supposed to be no traffic in liquor. Tom and I 
needed an appetizer for dinner, so asked the man behind 
the lemonade (?) counter for two Martinis. He looked 
fiercely at us for a minute and said that no intoxicating 
liquon were sold there^ but H yft wanted a food rasp- 
berry vinegar he was just the man to give it to us. We 
were in doubt at first, but on being reassured that if we 
did not like it, we would not have to pay for it, we told 
him to go ahead. We drank them down, and lo and be- 
hold, we had a perfect Martini. This is the way they 
got around the law, and as the sheriff was a friend of all 
traffickers in lemonade (?), they seemed practically im- 
mune from molestation. After dinner we drove to Saga- 
ponack, four miles a,way, on the south side of Long 
Island. Tom had friends there, and by the time they 
showed us, I concluded were very staunch friends indeed. 
We were wined and feted for three hours at least, and 
arrived back at the boat in a very fair frame of mind. 
Sag was a fine old place and will always hold a tender 
spot in my memory. If those frank good-hearted West- 
erners we met there treat everybody as they treated us, 
there would never have been any necessity for the trans- 
lation of the Golden Rule. 
Next morning we pulled out of Sag; am afraid neither 
of us wanted to go, but we made no confessions, and 
said no things except about our chances for the day's 
run. The wind was still cast. Really I am getting tired 
of that phrase, but my weariness is nothing compared 
with the language eacb morning on making a forecast. 
It had never varied at all with the exception of Tuesday, 
•and that was the only day so far that we had wanted 
it still east. We had no special port in mind at the start, 
but purposed to beat along the shoi-e and get as far as 
possible. Fort Pond Bay was the nearest place to Mon- 
tauk that we could anchor with any safety, and we had 
no hopes of Block Island unless the wind changed. Spent 
most of the day beating and about 5.30 reached a place 
called Napeague Bay. We had had enough sailing, so 
decided to put in here rather than try for Fort Pond 
Bay, eight miles further east. The Coast Pilot said this 
was good enough when once in, but had a very difficult 
channel and was unfit for strangers. Nevertheless we 
made up our minds to try it, so put in, and as might have 
been expected went hard and fast aground. The air at 
once grew thick with many varied and highly original 
oaths. We both stripped and tried to push her off, but 
there was nothing doing. Tom got into the dinghy and 
rowed around for twenty minutes, and at last said he 
had found the channel, and that we would put in when 
the tide took us off. It was now about six o'clock, and 
we had to wait for two or three hours before we would 
float, so sat around for a while and then cooked a rat- 
tling good dinner. Soup, steak, corn, stewed tomatoes, 
beer and coffee. After this we were in much better 
humor. Got things ship-shape. (I really never saw such 
a sloppy boat as ours was). Never anything where we 
could find it, and clothes, towels and cooking utensils ly- 
ing around ever3'where. The wind was freshening up a 
bit, so got up sail. I took the wheel, hauled the sheet 
in close and Tom tried to haul her off. Nothing doing. 
I got tired holding the sheet just about this time, how- 
ever, and let her go. Just at this time a puff of wind 
struck us, and I grabbed the sheet just in time. She 
gave a mighty tug and we were off. This was sooner 
than we had expected. Tom said the channel was just 
ahead (we were heading west now), so I kept at the 
wheel, waiting for Tom to give the word to steer in. 
I got it in a minute and put the wheel to starboard, but 
just then we struck again. I immediately eased the 
sheet out and we slid off. In the dark must have missed 
the channel entirely. Well, it looked as if we were in for 
a night of it. Had to go by compass and chart entirely, 
as it was very black and no lights around there to guide 
us. Montauk was not visible from there, land interven- 
ing. We made out a fixed white light to northward, but 
did not know whether it was Little Gull Island or Watch 
Hill Point. We laid our course N.E.J/^E. Tom got up 
forward to look out for any signs of land while I took 
the wheel. Now, T had never sailed by a compass before, 
and it was decidedly confusing. Tom kept yelling, 
"Keep her up, keep her off," until I did not know what 
I was doing. He soon came back and found we were 
sailing northwest instead of northeast. Here we again 
expressed ourselves iveely. He then showed me how to 
keep the needle pointed N.E.^E., and which way to 
turn the wheel when she went off. We began to get 
along now. Stood on the starboard tack for about four 
miles, then took a tack in toward shore. We went about 
again and at 1.30 A. M. saw a light about two miles to 
southeast of us. We did not know what it was, but de- 
cided to trust to luck as we figured we must be off Fort 
Pond Bay by this time. It was a heat in, Tom took the 
wheel and became the lookout. We kept at it and an- 
chored near the light, Avhich we found out to be a men- 
haden fisherman's boat at anchor. There were about ten 
other craft anchored all around, but this was the only 
one that had a light 'out. It saved our lives that night, 
and we eternally blessed that chap for his thoughtful"ess. 
AVe were due for an all-night game but for "this little 
incident, although it was then 2 A. M. We got to, sleep 
very soon without much trouble, not forgetting, 'how- 
ever, to hang out our anchor light. Next morning, Sat- 
urday, we made up our minds to try for Block Island, 
about eighteen miles to eastward. The sun was out all 
day to-daj^ I mention this as it was a very agreeable 
suiiarise indeed. The wind still held from the east, blow- 
ing about four knots. Had a fine breakfast of bacon, 
eggs and coffee, then got up sail. It was a beat all the 
way. This, as you see, was the rule. Got started at 8 
A. M. with the wind growing lighter every minute. Stood 
well out toward Watch Hill Point, and on nearing Fish- 
er's Island, stood about to avoid the tide as much as 
possible. On this tack we just cleared Montauk. We 
then went about and thought to relieve the tedium by a 
little fishing. Got out a heavy line and shiner and heaved 
it astern to troll for bluefish. We kept on going all the 
niorning this way, but no fish rose to our bait. Saw 
many black duck and could have gotten some if we had 
had a gun. About twelve o'clock we began to get hungry, 
and were beginning to talk to ourselves and also the blue- 
fish for not getting the buoy. Just then we heard the 
fam.iliar thug of an auxiliary. We saw it was a fisher- 
man, so we went about and stood over near him. He 
had been more successful than we, so hailed him thusly: 
"Will you sell us a quarter's worth of fish ?" "Yes.'' 
"What will you give us?" At this he said nothing, but 
held up an enormous fish of some kind, big enough to 
have kept us in grub for three days. "Too big, too big," 
we cried. We were very close then, so told him to throw 
us a couple of porgies. He threw them in the boat as 
we passed, and I threw him a quarter wrapped in a piece 
of newspaper. He seemed doubtful about getting the 
money at first, but succeeded in reassuring him. They 
were fine big ones still alive. Tom cleaned them and in 
twenty minutes each had a fine fried porgy. We stood on 
for Block Island, hoping to get there in time for dinner. 
Said porgy did not agree with Tom, and about 2.30 he 
worked up a dandy grouch. I felt somewhat that way 
myself, went below for a sleep. Woke up 5.30. Dead 
calm. We could make out Watch Hill off to northwest. 
Fisher's Island also and Block Island to southeast, but 
could not move a foot. Then and there we both cursed 
our luck, the boat, weather and ourselves. We saw 
Block Island was out of the question that day, and we 
knew we could never get to Newport. As Watch Hill 
seemed nearer than any other place, decided to put in 
there. We cooked a caii of tomatoes, got out the black 
bottle and tried to feel better, if this were possible. Tom 
was tired, so went down and tried to sleep, but there 
was quite a ground swell on, and this kept the gaff 
creaking so that sleep was impo.ssible. There we stayed 
until ri.30 watching the Sound steamers go by all lighted 
up like floating palaces. Just about then, however, a 
little breeze sprung up from the northwest. I eased out 
the sheet and stood in a northerly direction to the Rhode 
Island shore. The tide was against us and were afraid 
of being carried through the Race. This only lasted for 
a short time, however, and then another cahn. About 
1.30 A. M. got a faint breeze from the northeast, put 
about and headed for Watch Hill light, five miles to 
westward. This wind kept blowing up stronger, and we 
went along fineh'', sighting the Stonington breakwater 
lights at about three, one flashing red and one fixed red 
on the end of each breakwater. Without much more 
excitement we anchored just inside at 4 A. M. We were 
both done up and felt pretty sore, but succeeded in get- 
ting a fine dinner, or should I call it a breakfast, of soup, 
steak, potatoes, corn and coffee. We then dropped asleep. 
The next day being Sunday, slept late and started in 
about 1.30 P. M. to make Watch Hill Harbor. I had 
been in a number of times before and knew the channel. 
Tom took the chart and tried to bluff me into thinking he 
was the navigator. We passed the folly successfully, and 
on nearing the Westerly River, had a dif¥erence of opni- 
ion as to our course. Tom told me to keep up to the 
eastward, while I wanted to sail northeast in the chan- 
nel. We split the difference. A friend of mine once took 
out a sailing party, and was getting on finely, when some 
one asked him if he knew the harbor was full of rocks. 
The chap said, "Yes, I know every rock in this harbor." 
Just then, bang! they struck one. He then laconically 
remarked, "And this is one of them." That was our 
case exactly. We struck a big one, and the boat seemed to 
jump right out of the water, hesitate, and then luck was 
with us this time, we slid over. No damage done, and 
Tom threw the hook overboard in about fifteen feet of 
water, just off the Plimpton Rock. We .spent three days 
here, not leaving until Wednesday A. M. There were 
many genial souls, around, and they made us feel perfectly 
at home. We succeeded in forgetting our troubles, and 
between our friends and black bottles, managed to pass 
our time most enjoyably. As I look back on it, have 
come to the conclusion that it was just as well for us 
that we decided to start then. If we had waited much 
longer, would not have gotten away" at all, as I afterward 
learned that an officer of the law came down to the 
Plimpton Dock twenty minutes after we had started 
with a warrant for our arrest. Nothing doing, the birds 
had flown. Got away safeljf, this being the turning point 
of the noble Cypress. We headed her back to New 
Haven. With a fine northeast wind behind us, we passed 
Stonington breakwater at a good clip, and kept well out 
to Latimer's Reef. This we left to port and left Ram 
Island Light vessel to starboard. Reached New London 
between 2 and 3 P. M. The rest of the afternoon was 
spent in fixing up ship and rowing around the harbor 
looking at the yachts. The Philadelphia Yacht Club had 
just arrived and the harbor presented a fine appearance. 
Went ashore about six o'clock and had a fine meal at 
the Crocker House. Watch Hill had pretty well tired 
us out, so went down and got asleep in short order. 
Thursday morning we determined lo try for New Haven. 
A good wind of about six knots was blowing from the 
northeast, the tide being against us. Had breakfast and 
started out leaving the beacon to port, making our course 
near Sarah's ledge, and inside of the Bartlett Reef light 
vessel. The wind was dying out now, and as the tide 
was taking us hack, dropped the hook overboard off Two 
Tree Island, and luckily it caught. Stayed here for about 
an hour and with a little more wind started on. Passed 
Saybrook at a good pace, the tide now being with us. 
Such a contrast to the last time vi'e had been there that 
we could not help but remark on it. Falkner's Island 
hove in sight and about now we had lunch. Toward 
the end of the afternoon the wind dropped almost entirely 
and we just succeeded in drifting into Sachem's Head 
Harbor, before the tide turned. This harbor is very 
small, but affords good protection, except from a south- 
west blow. To get in, keep one-half mile below Sachem's 
Head, then steer for Joshua Point until the harbor opens 
up. The sailing direction for entering is E.N.E.}^E. 
Dropped anchor and prepared dinner. Had a steak that 
we had purchased at Watch Hill. No ice all day though, 
and when I tasted the first mouthful my face must have 
been a study in curves and angles. Tom thought it was 
fine though and ate it all. That night we had to put a 
pail and a cushion over it (Tom would not hear of 
throwing overboard what was left), not only to prevent 
the smell, but to keep it from crawling away. The mos- 
quitoes here were awful, as one facetious youth in a 
boat nearby remarked: "This is sometimes called 
Scratchem's Head." 
Next morning went ashore and got some milk and 
eggs, having breakfast of those ingredients. Got the sail 
up and started for New Haven with a very light wind 
behind us. Tide was against us and we made very slow 
work of it. Passed inside of Branford Beacon and Nig- 
ger Head buoy. At 4.30 reached New Haven after an 
uneventful day and a very eventful trip. 
Now, this may seem like a long, hard luck story to the 
reader, but have only tried to give the facts just as they 
