A (= A w o c ^ m 3D 8 7 Z ^ o 2 4 ro 3J 2 > 9 :> o 8 ^ 3 n}.v^/-^ Binders. 1895. Jf Copyright, 1895, isy Capt. B. J. Willard, Portland, Maine. DEDICATION. 'HpO the ship-masters, merchants, and ship-brokers whose patronage, during forty-one years, lias made possible the employment and the experience recorded in these pages, I gratefull}^ dedicate my book. B. J. W'lIJ.AKl). PREFACE. T HAVE been asked many times to tell my story, and have at last conclnded to do so. It is the "plain, nnvarnished tale" of a man who has passed his life on and along the stormy Atlantic coast, some- time on sea and sometime on shore, and who has met the perils incident to the experience of a sailor and a pilot. Most people of English blood, whether inland bred or bronght np within the sonnd of the waves, take pleasnrc in talcs of the sea, however homely they may be told; and for them my book is written. That the}' may find the same enjoyment in reading that I have had in writing it, is the earnest hope of Benjamin J. Willard. TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Cradled in a Boat — Earliest Recollections — Catching the First Shark — A Mammoth Cod — My Trip to the Georges Bank and How I Lost My Black Stockings — The Hampton Boat and the White Head Boiling Springs — Lobster Catching Fifty Years Ago, . . . . . . -15 CHAPTER H. The Harbor in a Fog — Old Time Hospitality on the Cape — My First Chew of Tobacco — An Ancient School- House — How Fishermen Came To Use Compasses — The Harm Done to Hook Fishing by Seines and Seals, . . . . -23 CHAPTER HL The Loss of the Pleasure Boat " Leo " in Casco Bay — Death by Downing of a Woman and Eight Children — Living on Cracker Crumbs in the Bay of Fundy — Whimsical Advent- ure near Biddeford Pool — A Perilous Passage from Phila- delphia to Portland, ....... 29 CHAPTER I\". In Which 1 Become a Ship-Owner — The Great .\pril (}ale of 185 I — Riding It Out in Little Egg Harbor — The Race from Philadelphia to Portland — Forsaking Sea for Land Service, 36 CHAPTER V. In Which I Become a Stevedore and Subsequently a Pilot — Taking the Allan Steamships into Port — Piloting a Bonded Vessel, and the "Prouble It Brought — How I Was Unjustly Put in Jail, and My Experiences There — An Appeal for Long-Delayed Justice — Some Amusing Experiences. . . 48 lO CAPTAIN ben's book. CHAPTER VI. In Which a Sword-Fish is Harpooned — It Proves a Novelty in Portland — How I Piloted a Disabled Steamer into Port — The Perilous Experience of a Pilot — Pulling Drowning Men out of the Water — A Famous Camping-Out Club — Hen Hawks for Dinner — The Father of the Finnan Haddie Industry and His Skill at Quoits. . . . . -57 CHAPTER VII. Portland Harbor in War Time — Much Tangled Red Tape — Rushing Associated Press News to the Shore — Perilous Experience of a Coast Pilot — The Close Shave of the Anglo Saxon — Sudden Death of my Father, . . . -67 CFIAPTER VIII. Capture of the " Caleb Cushing" and the " Archer " by Confeder- ate Privateers — The Bold Attempt in Portland Harbor — A Day of Excitement in the City — Soldiers and Citizens to the Rescue — Blowing up of the " Cushing " and Recapture of the " Archer " — Confederate Prisoners in Fort Preble — How Daniel Gould Came to His Death. . . . . • ", 4 CHAPTER IX. The Confederate Account of the Capture of the " Caleb Cushing " — Mr. Hunt's Vivacious Story — How the Privateers Stole into the Harbor, Stole Out, and Were Caught with the Goods in Their Possession — The Fish Chowder on Board the "Archer," and the Humble Pie the Privateers After- wards Ate, ......... 82 CHAPTER X. The Wreck of the Bohemian — Scenes and Incidents of that Memorable Disaster — How the IlKFated Steamer Went Ashore — A Notable Campaign Orator among the Survivors — Fishing Up Cases of Goods — Mr. Farmer, Captain Sargent, and the Cook Stove — The Diver Who Took a Nap at the Bottom of the Sea, ...... 87 TABLE OF COXTKXTS. II CHAPTER XI. Deep-Sea Fishing — The Nervous Man and His Gun — Captur- ing a Dusky Shark — The Adventure of the Scotchman and the Whale — My Trained Pets, the Coach Dog and the Cedar Bird, ......... 95 CHAPTER XU. A Whale in the Harbor — The Seven-Ton Blackfish — How a Hayseed Spoiled His Linen Trowsers — Appearance and Habits of the Blackfish — A Lively Fight with a Sword- Fish — The Summer of 1S67, . . . . . .110 CHAPTER XHI. In Which All Manner of Fish is Sought, from Sea Serpent to Mackerel — A Fight Between a Sword-Fish and Two Killers — St. Elmo's Fire — The Race Between the "Nettle" and " Sparkle " — A Famous Trouting Party on Mount Desert — Concerning Water-Spouts — Hunting Eider Ducks — Doctor Bowles and the White-Tailed Martin — The Beginning of the Sword-Fish Industry, . . . . . . .118 CHAPTER XIV. A Cruise for the Sea Serpent — Distinguished Jurists and Clergy- men Hunting the Whale — Lots of Fun but No Fish — A Colored Cook Who Turned Wliite — Collecting Ship News for the Daily Paper.s — Rescue of a (running Party on Half Way Rock — CJaptain Senter and the "Sparkle," . .129 CHAPTER XV. The Peabody Obsequies — Arrival of the " Monarch " off Portland and Severe Trip of the Pilot Boat in Search of Her. The Impressive Naval Procession up the Harbor. — Admiral Farragut and the "Terror" — Another Great Naval Pageant — The Duke of Newcastle's Hat, . . . . .136 ( HAPTER XVI. 1 Become an !n\entor and Patent a Life Preserver — Another Fruitless Search for the Sea Serpent — A Funny Fourth of 12 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. July in Portland — How the Hand-Organs played in Lincoln Park — An Earnest Plea for Light-House Improvement, . 141 CHAPTER XVIL Days When a Hogshead of Coal Lasted Portland a Whole Season — Mr. Samuel E. Spring and the Government Sale of Cigars — Gunning on Richmond Island — Formation of the Willard Shooting Association — Pat and the Loon, . -150 CHAPTER XVIII. How the "Brooklyn" Struck on Hog Island Ledge — Old Nep- tune Visits the Pilot Boat "Maggie" and Shaves the Pas- sengers — Mr. Strout's Encounter with a Sword-Fish — Some- thing About Spanish Mackerel, . . . . -159 CHAPTER XIX. The Schooner " B. J. Willard " and Her Fortunes — How Steamers Have Taken the Freights from Sailing Vessels — The Way in Which I Celebrated the Portland Centennial — About the Water Boat "Fannie G." — Sunfish and Their Curious Formation, . . . . . . • • . i6g CHAPTER XX. The First Tow-Boat in Portland — Changed Conditions of Ocean Traffic — The Blue Shark and His Pursuit -Wild Geese Shooting — A Notable Sword-Fish Party — The First Prize in Nine Years — Last Deep-Sea-Fishing Trip for the Season, 181 CHAPTER XXI. Transit Between the Cape and Portland — The Famous Ferry Fight — A Stormy Town-Meeting — The Dinner That Cost Five Hundred Dollars a Plate — Cape Elizabeth Electrics — The Island Traffic and the Casco Bay Steamboat Company, 190 Addendum, LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Capt. Benjamin J. Willard — Frontispiece, The Willard Homestead, 1813, Minot's Ledge Light-House, ..... British Steamship "Antelope," Capt. John Smith, SwoRD-FlSH, ........ The "Nettle" in a High Wind, .... Capture and Blo\vin(; up of the "Caleb Cushing," Capt. John Liscomp,, ...... One of Spot's Tricks, ...... DusKv Maneater Shark., ..... Head Trick, ........ Captain Wii-lard and His Doc; Spot, . Captain Willard Battling with a Whale, . Dog and P>ird Trick, Spot Spelling His Name, Dog and Bird Trick, Chair Trick, .... Blackfish, .... St. Elmo's l'"iki;, Water-Spouts, Capt. William Sexier, . Life-Preskrvkk, J. N. Martin, President of iiii Association, Captain Willard as Neptune, Pilot Boat "Ma(;gie," Capt. Edwa The Spanish Mackerel, . The Schooner "1!. J. Willard,'' WlLI.ARD ShOOTIN( kii L. 1'arsons, PAGE 2 17 37 50 58 65 75 77 94 96 98 100 1 02 104 105 107 108 1 1 1 12 I 1-5 134 142 155 160 162 167 1 70 14 CAPTAIN ben's book. Steam Water Boat "Fannie G.,"' Capt. Daniel Peter- son, 1883, 175 SUNFISH, .......••• 178 Tow-BoAT "Tiger," the First Tow-Boat in Portland, 182 Capt. B. J. Willard's Cottage, Peaks Island, 1884, . 185 Capt. B. J. Willard Trap Shooting, June, 1895, . 197 A Shoal of Porpoises, 199 Oak Tree at Horsmonden, . . . . . . 202 Horsmonden Church, Where Simon Willard Was Christened, April 5, 1605, 205 CHAPTER I. CRADLKl) IN A BOAT. EARLIEST RECOLLEC I'lONS. CATCHING THE FIRST SHARK. A MAMMOTH COD. MY TRIP TO THE GEORGES BANK AND HOW I LOST MY !jJ[^ACK STOCKINGS. THE HAMPTON BOAT AND THE WHITE HEAD BOILINC; SPRINGS. LOBSTER CATCHING FIFTY YEARS A(;0. T WAS born October 30, 1828, at Simonton's Cove, Cape Elizabeth, Ale., cradled in a fishing boat, and brought up to be a fisherman; so that m}' earliest recollections are all of the sea. My first fishing trip was made in 1836, when I was not cjuite eight years old ; and though I caught but fort3'-seven mackerel, while my father caught between two and three barrels, my catch was thought a big one for so small a boy, and I felt very proud of my first success. The next spring my father bought a small fishing schooner with a pink stern, called the '' Lively," which he kept two years, at times going to Damarisco\e Island Harbor, Mackerel Cove in Harpswell, and New Meadows Ba}-; though Richmond's Island was often visited, it being the best place to set nets over night for bait. White Head Ground and Drunken Ledge were noted for good fishing, particularly cod, when the dif- ferent schools of fish migrated northward The " Lively" proving too small, my father, in the spring of 1840, bought the schooner " Martha Washing- ton," a large, able schooner for those days. She also had a pink stern — indeed at that time no others were to be seen. I was then about twelve years old, and felt myself a big bo}^, though not above a little fun which 1 6 CAPTAIN BEN'.S book. sometimes led me into scrapes. One day, on the sciiooner, father and the crew turned in for an afternoon nap, as the}^ expected to be fishing for hake that night, and left me on the lookout. Looking for fun I threw overboard some fish livers and tolled up a large flock of hag-dolls ; then baited a mackerel line at which they bit fast. These birds bite hard and fight like an eagle. I tossed them into an empty barrel, \vhere they fought fiercely in their struggles to get out. Such a noise I never heard before or since. The crew were wakened, and soon tumbled on deck, unable to sleep. At my father's orders I tossed the birds overboard. That was my last attempt to catch hag-dolls. My First Shark. — One night while I was doing boy's duty on the dog watch, from 6 to 8 in the even- ing, and amusing m^^self by catching squid, I saw a big fish swimming round which soon stole m}- bait. The water was sparkling with phosphorus and I could see him plainly; so I baited a large shark hook with a haddock and dropped it overboard. In a moment he swallowed it. Wild with excitement I rushed to the forecastle and shouted, "I have him." The crew tumbled on deck to see what I did have, at once saw it was a shark, and proceeded to haul him up, my brother William standing by with the lance read}^ to kill him. To the surprise of all, the fish rolled the line round him, so that he came up tail first and could not be lanced for fear of cutting the line. He would hit hard enough blows on the side of the schooner to shake her, and in his struggles hit Eben Willard a blow on the face that knocked him down. Meanwhile lay father talked strong language to me, and forbade my shark-fishing in future. " There's no sleeping where that boy is," he said. l8 CAPTAIN ben's book. But after a time the shark turned, came up head first, and was easil}^ killed by the lance. All hands then hoisted the monster on deck, when he was found to be fifteen feet in length and with jaws large enough to swallow a man wdiole. When the liver was taken out it filled a barrel and a half. Then father felt better, but said to me, "Ben, don't you ever put that hook out for shark again." I was always good to mind, and obeyed orders ; but somehow I was continually getting into mischief before I knew it, though I never fished for shark again while on the " Martha Washington." A Mammoth Cod. — Later in the season we went on to the fishing ground called " Mistaken Ground," a good place for fish when the herring come on the coast. During the first day whales came and herring were schooling thick. You could see whales in all direc- tions. One came up and rubbed so hard against the schooner as to careen her some. The monster was longer than the vessel. Being frightened I ran to the other side, when my father told me to pump some bilge water out. This I did, and the whale left in a hurry, but soon came up in the midst of a large school of herring, swallowing wdiat must have been four or five barrels of them. But he was a good w^hale for us, for he drove as man}- more barrels into our nets, giving us plenty of bait next day when we fell in with numer- ous cod. Three boats left the schooner next morning and returned before ten o'clock full of large cod. By two in the afternoon they returned with three more loads, my brother William stringing his painter (the line that tows the boat) with big fish. After dinner, which, being the bo}', I had to get, the crew dressed and split the cod for salting and put them in the hold. After dinner I put A MAMMOTH COD. 19 out two lines in fort\'-five fathoms of water, and pres- ently felt something big and strong pulling at one of them. It struggled nobly, while the crew looked on laughingly and shouted, "Tug, away, Bennie ; you'll soon get him." They thought I was fast to one of those deep water skates, as large as a barn door and with three or four tails. The more I tugged the more they made fun of me. But I could say nothing. The boy on a vessel, as is well known, has to take all manner of insults and still keep cool. It is pretty hard work sometimes. At last I could see large bub- bles of air and two big cod-fish on my line, so shouted to the crew to jump for their gaffs. Mr. William Jones, who was nearest the rail splitting fish, looked over and sang out so loud that all the crew sprang from their work to the side. The two fish were soon hauled on deck. It was estimated that the biggest one was good for 130 pounds, and it proved to weigh 75 pounds when dried. It was said to be the largest cod-fish ever landed on House Island, and the spots on it were as big as silver dollars. I think Mr. Alpha Sterling will remember that cod. It was the talk for many a day. In those days halibut were plenty. Saturday was the day to land fish at House Island. My father under- stood the mo\ements of the fish well, and every week he went farther east, where the whales and herring were schooling the thickest. The third and last trip was made southeast from Monhegan Island, some twent}^ miles distant. In four or five days we filled the schooner three times. Every night the nets would fill with herring. After this three or four weeks were spent in cod-fishing. Then the schooner was fitted and painted, to fish for mackerel. In those days hook fishing was profitable, and good wages were made b}^ the crews. 20 CAPTAIN BEN'vS BOOK. My First Trip to thp: Banks. — In 1843, or about that date, when I was fifteen years old, father saw a Cape Ann schooner come into Portland from Georges Bank with a large fare of halibut- So he fitted his schooner out for a trip himself, with sails and rigging about new, plenty of hemp cable, and an ice-pen hold- ing two or three tons, on which was plenty of fresh bait. He took a supply of heavy leads to use in strong tides. Some of the crew felt a little shaky, as bad reports had been received of the loss of fishing vessels. However, as it was the best time of year for the trip, they concluded to make the venture. It took nearly three days with light winds to reach the north part of the Banks ; and, just at that time, the wind changed to southeast, blowing a strong gale that lasted all one night ; then it shifted to south and blew harder until it died out and a thick fog came. The sea was run- ning mountains high, and it seemed at times the vessel would roll over. I was seasick, as I always was in rough weather. After four days of tliis sort of thing the sea went down, and I felt like getting on deck. How I Lost Mv Black Stockings. — When I got out of my berth Mr. William Jones went for my feet, roughly hauled my stockings off, and threw them over- board, getting me another pair in their place. When I asked him what he did that for, he solemnly said : " Bennie, don't 3^ou ever wear black stockings on board this vessel again. We have had all this bad luck bj' your black stockings." This incident goes to show how superstitious sailors are. At times they will nail horseshoes on the heel of the bowsprit to keep the witches away from the vessel. This was the first and last trip to Georges Banks. WHEN LOBSTKRS WERE PEEXTY. 21 Tlie schooner was then headed for Jefferies Bank, where a good fare was got ; and then back home ; which all hands were glad enough to reach alive and well, and better satisfied for the future to stay on inner fish- ing grounds, where harbor could be made when lieav}- storms came on. But wasn't I seasick! When LoBvSTERvS Were Plenty. — About 1844 father sold the " Martha Washington" and built a cheap house for summer at Alewive Cove, Cape Elizabeth, to live in while he carried on fishing and lobstcring. In those da3'S lobsters were large and plenty, and a sloop smack, whose captain's name was Marston, came from Boston for them regularly. Cod-fish were also plenty near the coves and points, as the}- would follow the alewives to the brook leading up to the big pond on the cape, where the}- went to spaM'U. Millions went there for 3^ears, and if the brook were opened up for the alewives now, it would be worth thousands of dollars to the fishermen of Cape Elizabeth. About this time father had a large Hampton boat built for me, of which I felt very proud ; for she was big and safe. She was not so fast as some of my neighbors' boats ; but I made up for that b}^ rising- early and reacliing the grounds b}- daylight. There was fine fighting to get the best berths on White Head Ground and Drunken Ledge, as there seemed to be boiling springs at the bottom, where the fish went for fresh water. At a short distance from those places no fish could be caught. I have known but one man, in all my life, who could see for long distances, and make out flags on ships, as I could. This man was Mr. George Leavitt, of W^illard, Cape Elizabeth. He is still living, and with e3'e-sight as good as ever — as 22 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. indeed mine is, for that matter. When Mr. Leavitt and I were on those grounds, waiting to see our local marks, we would both get them at the same moment, and both killicks go down at the same time. It was then thought mean for one boat to anchor close to another engaged iu catching fish ; but if the two anchored at the same time it M^as all right. For bait we used clams until the porgies and herring came. CHAPTER II. THE HARIiOR IX A FOO. OLD TIME HOSPITALI lY ON THE CAPE. MV FIRST CHEW OF TOBACCO. AN ANCIENT SCHOOL-HOUSE. HOW FISHERMEN CAME TO USE COMPASSES. THE HARM DONE TO HOOK FISHINCi V.Y SEINES AND SEALS. TN foggy weather it is an easy thing to lose one's way on the ^\■ater, even in onr sheltered harbor. The following is a case in point : One day, late in the afternoon, as I was coming from Green Island and making for Wliite Head, I saw a pleasnre boat, filled with men, women, and children, heading out to sea. Knowing they mnst have lost their way I hailed them, and in reply was told the}- were going to Portland. Great was their snrprise when told that they had mis- taken their direction. I gave them a line and towed them to port. As we passed the Spindle, their aston- ishment was boundless at discovering that the\- had gone out by White Head, when they thought they were making good way to Portland ; and in their gratitude, when landed at Commercial Wharf, they offered to pay me anything tliat might be asked. In those days many boats were let for sailing par- ties; and I have often wondered that drowning acci- dents were so few, as many of the excursionists slaked their thirst with something stronger than water. Most of the fishermen would "fill up" Saturday and Sunda\-, though keeping .sober on other days, when at their work. There were exceptions though. One day Mr. Some One ran ashore on Bangs Island ( now called Cushing's) after imbibing too freely, and had to be 24 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. hauled off by the fishermen from the cove. At another time another Mr. Somebody, who was careful not to set any sail when in drink, but trusted to his oars, row^ed ashore at ebb-tide, where he remained for some time, the spectators amusing themselves at his expense. But I do not now remember of any fatal accidents hap- pening to men in drink. There was more hospitalit}- in those times than now. When the fishermen went to Richmond's Island, they would spend the night in the barn on the hay. Mr. Jordan was always good to them, and did not call them tramps, as is the custom nowadays. The Cape Elizabeth fishermen themselves are kind-hearted and free-handed, ready to divide the last loaf with their neighbors if in need. Often, when a boy, I have heard my parents say that some family was in need. As soon as the news was noised about, the neighbors would go there with their arms full, and the next day a load of wood would be dropped at the door. No one had heard of "pound parties" then, to wdiich each one carries a pound of something, and all stay half the night and eat the whole up. My First Chew of Tobacco. — My first, and last, cud of tobacco was chewed while going to school. Washington Loveitt, Isaac Cobb, and myself mustered two cents apiece and bought a plug of pigtail twist. It was divided fairly, and we stowed a quid in our cheeks. All went merrily while we were in the open air, and we thought we were men indeed; but somehow the school-house seemed uncommonly warm. I began to sweat freely, and on looking at Cobb found he was get- ting white, while his hair was steaming. Pretty soon he asked leave to go and get a drink of water. About the time he got back to his seat I began to think a AN OLD-TIM p: SCHOOL-HOUSE. 25 little water would be good for me. Before I got through, IvOveitt started for the water pail, and Cobb asked to go out. I followed with Loveitt at my heels. Three sicker boys were never seen. We were absent so long that IMr. Enos Dyer, the school-master, sus- pected something and started in search of us. He at once saw the trouble, advised us never to chew again (advice wdiich I have followed to this da}^, and told us to go home. This we were glad to do, but our hats were in the school-house. As Loveitt had the best legs, he brought our hats out; still, we could not walk without staggering, and so crawled on our hands and knees over the stone-wall, where we la\' until school was out and the children gone. Then I went home and stole to bed without my supper. There mv mother found me, sick, as she supposed, with a headache, and and bound my head up with burdock leaves steeped in vinegar. I have never taken a piece of tobacco into ni}^ mouth from that day to this. Of my companions, Mr. Loveitt is still living at Cape Elizabeth, and Mr. Cobb is gone. An Old-Tim e School-House. — Sixty years ago school-houses were far different from those we build now. The one in our district, where I attended, was situated below the Danforth Hill, near the brook, on the shore road to Portland Light, a mile or more from Simonton's Cove. It was but one storv, low-studded, narrow, and long like a ten-pin alley, and set end to the road. The long wood stove would take in uncut cord wood, and the funnel ran the whole length of the l)uild- ing it was supposed to heat ; but in northeast snow- storms the snow would blow in round the windows, and those of us lucky enough to have overcoats were glad to use them, so bitter was the cold. We had a verv 26 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. nice book to take the place of grammar, a Robert B. Thomas Almanac. This we studied every night before going to bed, to see if the tide was fair at one o'clock in the morning, so that we could row to the fishing grounds. The master gave us Saturday- afternoons for pla}^, but that did not suit the big bo3'S, so they would fill the funnel Saturday morning with juniper bushes and smoke ever^'body out. The result would be the adjournment of school until IMonday, so that the funnel might be cleaned out. Then the big boys would start for the rabbit swamp and spend the rest of the day hunting. How Fishermen Came To Use the Compass. — At that time no compasses were used by the fishermen. They all went to any shoal they wished, steering b}^ the sea. In thick fog a swell would roll in from the ocean, and the lead was used when near the shoal. Compasses Avere not employed till some of the boats got lost in a snow-storm coming home from White Head Grounds, being misled by the changing off wind and no land in sight. ( You cannot run b}^ the sea in a snow-storm ; as the wind changes you will steer by that). One or two of the boats made Stratton Island, and some Richmond Island, but all got into good har- bors before night fell, where they remained until the storm was over. Meanwhile much anxiety was felt at home for their safet}', and thereafter they were per- suaded to take compasses. About 1846 I took Mr. James Cobb into compau}-. In earl}^ spring we went in the large boat, but later on used both. Cobb was smart and prompt, and the quickest man to wake from sound sleep I ever knew. If you spoke to him in a moderate tone of voice, ten feet away, he would spring up at once. The second SElNEvS AND SEALvS. 27 year we were together we heard, about the last of June, that mackerel were plenty- off Cape Ann and coming east in large schools; so I fitted the large boat and started to meet them off Boon Island, knowing that I could put into Portsmouth or old York for harbor, in case of a storm. ^Ir. Cobb took the small boat to fish on Cod Ledge; we both had good luck, and came back to Portland loaded with cod and mackerel, for which we got a fair price, clearing about forty dollars apiece — which came in \er3' handy, for the Fourth of July M'as close at hand, My mackerel usually went to Mr. John IvOyeitt, for he always did the right thing b\' the fishermen. Seinf:s and Seal.s. — In those days all the boats made money fast, but after a time so many were brought in that prices went down. Now a mackerel is rarely caught with the hook. What with seining on the outside and seals on the inside, where mackerel used to go and spawn, and where boats in August and September could catch from fifty to three hundred pounds anywhere in Casco Bay, real old-fashioned fish- ing is about ruined ; but driye the seals out of the bay and the mackerel will come again. The seals are now so numerous that they go to sea for food. I haye seen them ten miles out in summer, the ledges fairly swarm- ing with them, basking in the sun. As for seining, the porgy steamers with their seines have driyen the fish off the coast. The last time the porgies came back they had been absent twelve years. When they are on the coast and in the bays, fish of all kinds come into the shoal water, and the fishermen by setting nets get all the bait they want. If all seining were to be stopped for a reasonable time, so as to give the fish a chance to breed and not frighten them awa}', 28 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. the shore fishermen could once again get a good living by hook fishing. But they never can till then. I think 1848 was the best year I ever saw for the fishermen in boats. At the Hue and Cry Shoal Mr. Cobb and myself got from daylight to noon something over 1,400 pounds of mackerel. All the other boats did as well, and some of them better. We often saw fifteen or twenty boats in one string. The mackerel came along shore in large schools, and were found in Casco Bay, Harpswell Bay, New Meadows, and around shoals everywhere. I have seen great schools inside of Bangs Island. Now the seining, south in the spring, has driven the large body of them outside of Nantucket Shoals to the northern part of the Gulf Stream and to Nova Scotia waters. Had the seine never been used, our coast would be good to-day for hook fishing, and far better for all classes of fishermen. Trawl fishing, too, has hurt cod trade; for it catches up the mother fish that rarely bites at hand lines. When I was j^oung the bank fishermen would come home Avith flags flying and a full cargo, and fill the flakes at House Island. I have rowed man}' mer- chants to this island to buy fish. To-day the flakes are down and the island looks desolate. CHAPTER III. THE LOSS (JF THE PLEASURE BOAT " LEO " IN CASCO BAY. DEATH BY DROWNING OF A WOMAN AND EIGHT CHILDREN. LIVING ON CRACKER CRU-MBS IN THE BAY OF FUNDY. WHIMSICAL ADVENT- URE NEAR BIDDEFORD POOL. A PERILOUS PASSAGE FROM PHILADELPHIA TO PORTLAND. 'HpHE sad accident to the pleasure boat "Leo," near Hog Island Ledge, by which nine lives were lost, is not yet forgotten b}^ the older people of Portland. It was on the 2 2d of Jul}-, 1848, that I passed the boat as she was going down the harbor, and noted that she had two sails up, while one was all a careful man would like to carry ; but took no further thought, having seen many pleasure boats loaded with passengers in the hands of men unaccustomed to handle them in a strong wind. The wind was then blowing hard from the southwest. When the pleasure boat "F'avorite" came home in the evening she reported seeing a boat suddenly dis- appear near Hog Island Ledge. This aroused anxiety for the " Leo," and Mr. Edward Harlow, her owner, started for the ledge. When near it he heard a man crying for help, and soon found Mr. William Smith clinging to the mast-head of the sunken boat and nearly dead from exhaustion. This was at eleven o'clock in the niglit. It secerned that the "Leo" upset about eight o'clock. All the passengers except Mr. Smith, including his wife and four children and the four children of Mr. and Mrs. John Why lev, were drowned. The man in charge of the boat, a sailor. 30 CAPTAIN ben's book. named Stephenson, swam to the ledge, from which he was taken off by the rescuing party. W^hen the news of the accident spread, all the fishermen of the vicinity turned out with hooks and grapples to recover the bodies ; but the eel-grass was long and got tangled in the hooks, so that three of the children, one belonging to the Whyley family, were never found. The bod}- of Mrs. Smith was found floating several days later, and I grappled that of her son, a boy about six years old. When the "Leo" was raised (her mast was some four feet out of water, at low tide) it was seen that the fore sheet had been made fast — a fact showing bad management. I Become IMy Own Man. — In the fall of 1848, when I was twenty years old, my father kindl}^ gave me one vear, and much to my pleasure I became my own man. The summer of 1849 was good for fishing at Simonton's Cove, and ]\Ir. Cobb and myself made it a profitable season. The next summer I shipped as mate with my brother, E. G. Willard, in the schooner "Jerome," a vessel of 106 tons register and capable of carrj'ing 150 tons of coal; this being about the usual size of coasters at that date. While mate of this vessel I saw some hard service; particularly on a vo3'age to the Ba}' of Fundy, where I passed gloomy- hours on an uninhabited island with nothing to eat but cracker crumbs, and mighty few of them, ^^'e were from Port- land, bound for Calais, and, though the morning was fine at the hour of sailing, the schooner ran into a fog before we had gone far — fog Avhich lasted two days without any signs of lifting. On the afternoon of the second da}- we struck shoal Avater and let go the anchor. As we thought we could hear the surf a short distance I BECO:\rE MY OWN MAN. 3 1 to the north, the yawl boat was lowered and my brother and I jumped into her, leaying ]\Ir. John F. Loveitt and Talbert, the cook, on board. We put off into the thick fog, but could find nothing. 'Before long the tide and wind changed against us, darkness came on, and in spite of all our efforts we steadily drifted away from the ship. For a time we could hear the horn, and after that a gun. (Subsequently we learned that Loyeitt kept on firing the gun until his powder gaye out. ) x\fter rowing fiye or six hours we had to giye it up and drift whereyer the strong wind and tide would carry us. It was a long and dark night, and as we had no oil clothes or extra coats we suffered seyerely from the cold and wet. About daylight we heard the surf beating on the rocks, and let the lead go down, but found no bottom. Presently we saw the breakers and both braced up to keep the boat clear of them. As it grew lighter we saw a small island with high banks and heayih' wooded. There we landed, shiyering with cold and wet to the skin. Though we stayed ashore a long time, no signs of life could be seen. After a time we caught a glimpse of a larger island, and setting off for that, had the good fortune to find an English pilot boat laying there. Going on board, we were heartily wel- comed l)y the crew, who gathered about, eager to hear our story. The first thing they offered us was rum, which, as neither of us had eyer tasted liquor, we de- clined — to their utter amazement. They had run short of pro\isi(Uis, but managed to get some coffee and food for us, which we devoured eagerh'. It was little enough, but nearly all they had, though rum was plenty. Our anxiety for the "Jerome" was so great that 32 CAPTAIN BEN S BOOK. as soon as we ^vere warmed and a bit rested we engaged a pilot to set out in search of her. He thought she must be anchored at Seal Island Rips, and that the sound we took for the surf was the high tide on the rips; so he started for there, but was baffled b}^ the heavy winds and came back to his starting point. Then my brother and I took the 3^awl boat and went ashore to find something to eat. All we found was an empty building fastened up tightl}^, and in order to enter it we had to unscrew the hinges from the door. Nothing was there but a few hard bread crumbs in the bottom of a barrel. These tasted sweet and good, but went only a little way toward satisf^-ing our hunger. We replaced the hinges, and would have left mone}- for food had we found anj^hing to eat. Pulling back to the ship we passed the night there, but could not sleep much as our minds were on the "Jerome" and the two men left alone with her. We well knew that she could not ride long in that high wind and sea ; so the next morning the pilot boat got under way and started on her search. As nothing could be seen of the missing vessel I asked to be landed at Eastport, where we might get news of her. So we made for that harbor, and to our great joy came across the "Jerome" making for the same shelter. Their relief was as great as ours, for they had almost given us up for lost. It seems that the schooner went adrift; but the\' were fortunate enough to reach the lee of Libby Island, where the}^ anchored until the wind abated. After paying the pilot and stocking him up with provisions, the first thing my brother and I did was to make for the cabin double quick and eat a good dinner, the first we had had for two days. Food never tasted so good to me before. WRKCKKD IX SACO RIVER. 33 It seems that the next day after my brother and I left the "Jerome" at anchor at Seal Island Rips she struck a drift in a high wind and fog. IMr. Loveitt and the cook reefed the sails, set them, and slipped the chain ; loosing the small anchor and chain and steering northwest until they made breakers. They tacked off, then tacked back. In tacking back the schooner had gone to the leeward, with the strong tide, enough to come under the lee of Libb}- Island into smooth water, where she anchored with the big anchor. The next day the wind was west and the fog clearing. Loveitt saw three fishermen lobstering, put his flag in the rigging, called them aboard, and made a trade with them to pilot and help get the vessel to Eastport. \\liile on the wa}- we boarded her with the pilot boat. The fishermen were paid in monev, and the pilot in ship stores. Then the pilot took the fishermen back home. Our yawl boat was hoisted up and the vessel kept off for Calais, where we loaded a cargo of laths for Philadelphia. Before we finally got out of the Bay of Fundy the fog shut in again and followed us to Cape Cod. The passage out was good, as we had favorable winds to the Capes of Delaware. We all felt good to get away from Fund}' alive. I have not been there since, and have no desire to go again ; getting all I wanted and more than I bargained for that time. Wrecked in Saco Ri\er. — From Philadelphia we took a cargo of coal to Saco, Maine, and on arriv- ing at Biddeford Pool Captain Tappeu was engaged as pilot. Going up the Saco River the schooner ran ashore in the mud ; and a ])leasure steamboat called "The Belle" was employed to pull her off and tow her up to town. While discharging cargo, the "Belle" advertised to give a moonlight sail down the river and 34 CAPTAIN BEN'vS book. a dance at the ferry. Mr. Loveitt and I invited some lady friends to go. On the return, about midnight, we met with a ludicrous adventure. The boat ran on to a little island in the darkness near the Narrows, and stove a hole in the bottom. As she began to fill fast, the fires were drawn, the steam blown out, and the gangway plank run out towards the island. We men had to take the lady passengers ashore in our arms through three feet of water. A lame man on board offered Mr. Loveitt and me five dollars to "tote" him to land, and we promised to do it for nothing as soon as the ladies were looked out for; but he would not wait, and was soon on the shoulders of two other men, one of whom slipped and dumped him into the stream. Just as all had got ashore safely, some dories came up and were sent to town for transportation. IMeanwhile, we made a fire on the island, and passed the time pleasantly until the boats could carry us across the river to the Saco side, where teams were in readiness to take us to town, which we reached about sunrise. Saco River was certainly the last place in which I ever expected to be wrecked. A PeriloUvS November Passage. — The roughest passage I ever had while mate of the "Jerome" was from Philadelphia to Portland, with a cargo of coal, in November, 1850. We had favorable winds until off Chatham Light, when threatening weather set in and lasted until we reached port. The wind got round to the east and made a heavy sea fast. As it began to blow more heavily we shortened sail, keeping just enough canvas spread to get by the high land of Cape Cod. After passing Peaked Hill Bar the schooner was hove to under three-reefed mainsail for a dead drift into Bos- ton Bay. Before morning the sea boarded her, stove A PERILOUS NOVEMBER PASvSAGE. 35 the galley doors down, and washed everything out but the stove. The gale lasted until nine o'clock in the forenoon, and a few hours after we struck a snow- squall and were obliged to throw our deck load of coal overboard to lighten the vessel. The sea ran high and came tumbling on deck, and some of the waist- boards had to be knocked off to let the water out quickl3\ M3' brother carried sail as long as it could be done safel}^, but finally had to heave to. It began to look like a close shave, and I lashed some kegs for life preservers in case we were driven ashore. I kept sounding with a deep-sea line, and about midnight found bottom. At this moment my hands grew so numb that I lost the line. A new one was hastil}' im- provised by unreefing the pennant halyards from the main topmast, and the next sounding showed no shoaler water. Then we all began to feel a little easier. When daylight came the snow cleared awa^^, and we ran up under the lee of Chatham, and anchored with our big anchor weighing over a tliousand pounds. There we la\' for two days, as a big sea was rolling round the cape. When the wind changed to the west and the sea went down we headed for Portland, having favorable winds and fair weather until we got about half-wav between Cape Cod and Cape Elizabeth. Then another snow-squall struck us, and we had a succession of them the rest of the voyage, until near Cape Elizabeth lights. Then the squalls ceased and wc made Portland. When we arrived there our decks looked as if they had been holy-stoned with sand for a week. CHAPTER IV. IN WHICH I BECOME A SHIP-OWNER. — -THE GREAT APRIL GALE OF 185 I. RIDING IT OUT IN LITTLE EGG HARBOR. THE RACE FROM PHILADELPHIA TO PORTLAND. FORSAKING SEA FOR LAND SERVICE. TN the winter of 1851 I bought a quarter interest in the "Jerome," and took charge of her, having very good luck in making quick trips between Portland and Philadelphia ; nor did m}^ good fortune desert me in the great April gale of that year, when so man}- vessels were lost and lives sacrificed. Sailing from Philadel- phia for New York, on the i8th of that month, I had a quick run to ten miles north of Barnegat Light. Four hours more would have carried me to Sandy Hook; but the wind sprang up from the northeast, the weather thickened, and there was every indication of a strong gale; so I ran back off Little Egg Harbor. Some- thing told me to put in there, though all I had to go by was courses from buo3'S, jotted down on a piece of paper and given to me by a New Jersey captain. I ran for the first buoy, but before getting to it saw two men in a boat beckoning for me to luff. I did so, and presently the boat pulled alongside. The men proved to be pilots who told me that the way I was taking would carry the vessel on to a nine-feet shoal. On quoting the New Jersey captain's directions, they said that would be all right in ordinary times, but the ice had changed the buoy some distance to the south- west, and the government had not had time to move it back. IINOT'S LEDGE LIGHT-HOUSE. 38 CAPTAIN ben's book. We lay at Little Egg Harbor for three days, wait- ing for tlie heavy swell to go down ; for the gale was long and terrific and the tide, the highest known for years, covering the low lands inside the sea banks for many miles. While there I feasted on excellent cod- fish, which they kept alive as the Maine smacks do lobsters in their wells. The rest of the voyage was uneventful, though we passed man}' wrecks; and, on arriving in New York, the first thing I saw in the newspapers .was an account of that memorable and destructive storm which washed down Minot's Ledge Light-house, drowned the keepers, and spread devasta- tion all along that part of the coast. I am satisfied that if I had not run into Little Egg Harbor I should have been lost, for my vessel could not live fifteen hours in that gale — though what impulse drove me to my determination I cannot tell to this day. Minot's Ledge Light-house ( of which an excellent illustration is given on page 37 ) was on a rock about twenty miles from Boston, built of solid iron piles, sixty feet high and ten inches in diameter. The fury of a gale suffi- cient to overthrow it can scarcely be imagined. The most of ni}^ coal freights from Philadelphia to Portland were consigned to Messrs. Charles and Abel Baker, who kept a coal yard on Richardson's Wharf. They were both honest gentlemen to deal with. I made man}- quick trips, arriving ahead of the bill of lading on one of them. On receiving the bill Mr. Abel Baker at once went to an insurance officer and paid $40 for insuring the cargo. Great was his astonish- ment on returning to find me sitting in his office and my vessel hauling up to his coal shed. At that time freights in winter and spring were $3.00 to $3.50 a ton, and in summer about $1.50 to $1.75. A RACE UP THE NORTH COAvST. 39 A Race Up the North Coast. — In 185 1 my brother, E. G. Willard, built a centreboard schooner in Philadelphia, which carried about 240 tons of coal. She was so large it was ver}^ difficult to get a full cargo unless we took two or three different sizes of coal. When his vessel was nearl}- ready to be launched she was named the " E. G. Willard," and I took his sails, rigging, and fittings out there in the "Jerome" on my next trip. She was rigged and already to go up river to Bristol, twenty miles above Philadelphia, to load coal for Portland, for three round trips and a half. It was sharp racing. I will cite the first passage from Bristol to Port- land. Both vessels loaded at one time, shoved off from the coal docks about 6 P. M., calm and first ebb-tide. We drifted down river all that tide, and anchored for the next ebb-tide. The next dav the wind was south- west, both vessels beating down river with the tide, and both keeping near together until we got down to Chester. Then he put his centreboard down and gained away from me fast, and when I got down to Reedy Island he was nearly hull dowu. At that time we took a fearful squall from the northwest with thuu- dcr, lightning, and rain. I ran under short sail down to Bomby Hook and anchored. As the night was \ery dark and the wind blowing hard, I did not tliiiik it safe to run down the bay. At that time I thought E. G. was far enough ahead to make Cross Ledge light ship and keep on going down the bav. At two next morning the anchor was hove up and we started down the ba}'. At daylight in the morning I was within a mile of E. G. He was getting under way, having anchored there, as it was thick weather and shoal water. When half-way down the bay he ran for Cape 40 CAPTAIN ben's book. May. My vessel drawing twelve feet, I had to run down the ship channel and out round the over falls. When out there he was hull down ahead. The next day the wind changed from northwest to south. When back of Long Island the fog shut in, and there was about a six or seven knot breeze. I shaped my course for Gay Head. The next morning between three and four I hove to to wait for daylight. When morning came we squared away for Vineyard Sound, the fog still holding thick, and our horn blowing at short intervals. We could hear other horns in most any direction, but could see no vessels. When getting near the Vineyard both anchors were got in readiness ; one man was sent to the foremast head to look over the fog, if possible, and see land, one man set to heaving the lead on the starboard quarter. By letting out fif- teen or twenty fathoms of line the sheets were hauled aft, so as to luff quick if needed. After we run our time up in about twent}' or thirty minutes, the lookout forward reported breakers on the port bow. I luffed quick. On luffing I could see, under the main boom, breakers a hundred yards off. At that time there were by the lead line eight to nine fathoms. The next sounding there was no bottom at fifteen to twenty fathoms. The vessel was kept off on her course again, and run sometime, when breakers were sighted again on her port bow. I luffed some and run parallel with the breakers. Shortly the fog lifted a little, and I saw the timbers of an old wreck that I had seen several times before, and I knew them. It was a short dis- tance southerly of Quick's Hole. Then I shaped my course for the middle ground, got soundings, and sheered off and on, until we got up to West Chop. With about a four knot breeze and A RACE UP THE NORTH COAST. 4 1 wind south southwest we went up to West Chop, made Spar Buoy, and run down the sound the usual course. The fog was very thick. When some three or four miles to the eastward of East Chop the wind died out, there was a head tide, and we anchored. I went below to get some rest, leaving orders to call me when there was wind enough to stem tide. When I had been below an hour or an hour and a half I was called. I came on deck and got under wa\^, heading down the sound, with all the light sails put on. The fog was very thick and wet, with about three knot breeze, the fog-horn still blowing at short intervals. After a long time running the lookout reported a light right ahead. I hove the wheel hard up at once. As the vessel swung off quickly I saw the light between the foremast and fore rigging, and when the light got by the fore rigging, I steadied the wheel. As we were getting close upon the light, it proved to be the light ship with no bell ringing. We cleared the light ship side from about eight to ten feet. I sang out to him in strong language, and asked him why he did not ring his bell. His answer was: "\Miat are you running such a night as this is for? " I told liim there were fifty vessels astern of me and I <>uess he thouc^ht so, for I heard tlie l)cll rinorinir until I got by Sandy Point. It being too thick to run for Pollock Rip light ship, I ran out vShip Channel, around the great round shoal. When in deep water off the shoals the gaff topsails were clued uj), the main peak dipped and jibed over and hoisted up, and the gaff topsail set, running the course up the back side of Cape Cod for Portland. When up between Chatham and Nosset, we run out of the fog, and a fresh, warm 42 CAPTAIN BEN'vS book. breeze came off from the sand hills, and, behold, there was the "E. G." about a mile ahead. I run up my burgee and in a short time he run up his in answer. When passing Nosset Light we shaped course for Cape Elizabeth. When some fifteen miles north of Cape Cod, it commenced a southerly gale with rain, and all the light sails had to be taken in; single reef in the mainsail, the foresail jib, and flying jib. As it would be dark before I could get to Cape Elizabeth by running a straight course, I hauled to some to make the land to the westward of W^ood Island before dark. I could see at that time about a half-mile before mak- ing the land. I could see a fishing schooner ahead and hove to, heading off shore under reef foresail. I kept off some to speak him, and when near him I was about to ask him how W^ood Island bore; but before I could speak he asked me how Portland Eight bore. I told him how I judged Cape Elizabeth to bear, and I asked him if he had seen land. By this time we were too far by to hear him ; but he pointed his hand in shore as though he had seen land. After passing him he kept off to follow us. We were keeping a sharp lookout at the time as we thought we were nearing the shore, and one man was placed to the mainpeak halyards, ready to dip peak for wearing. In a short time surf was seen on shore. We at once wore around with main peak hoisted up, and kept on running parallel with the surf. We could see at the time about half a mile dis- tant, and when opposite Wood Island Light they were just lighting it. The fishing schooner was on the starboard quarter. As I saw he was going to follow I hung a lantern on the starboard davit and run for the back side of Richmond Island. The flying jib was hauled down and furled. We run on that course until A RACE UP THE NORTH COAvST. 43 breakers were seen on the port bow. The helm was put hard down at once. When the vessel came to, to be in the trough of the sea, the vessel shipped a great deal of water amidships. All hands were on the main sheet hauling in to keep it from slatting in the wind. The water soon ran off from the deck. The breakers that I saw we supposed to be Adam's Head on the back side of Richmond Island. I let her jog off shore easy until I could steer a straight course for the back side of Cape Elizabeth and clear Watts Ledge. When I luffed from Adam's Head the fishing schooner came near running into mine. In a few minutes I kept off for the back side of Cape Elizabeth. The mate advised me to haul off shore for the night. I told him I was going to Portland, that there was bold water near the Cape; I had caught cunners off from every foot of it, and it was safe to go within a schooner's length of the shore. I ran until I thought we ought to see something. I began to think we were running too wide off to see shore or lights ; but in a few minutes the look(nit reported breakers broad off the port bow. I luffed a couple of points and run b}- the breakers. When opposite the Cape lights I could just see them through the mist and fog. I run until I judged I was by Broad Cove Rock and Trund\\s Reef Shoal. Then I jibed over, to run for Portland Head. The wind dying away some, the fog and mist seemed to be thicker. As I neared up to Portland Head I could hear the rote on shore to the south of it. I kept off some and the lookout reported a light right ahead. I kept off at once and found it to be Portland Head Light, and passed in by very near the Point. Then all sail was put on. When inside of Ship 44 CAPTAIN ben's book. Cove we run out of the fog. It was all clear in the harbor and I could see coasters' lights anchored in Hog Island Roads. Then the fisherman put all sail on and passed me very quickly, thanking me, and said it was well done. When I was inside Spring Point Buoy the wind died out, a head tide set in, and I anchored. I lowered the boat and took two men and rowed to Commercial Wharf. Then I started for the :)i7'gUS office. I found my way up the back stairs where the boys were setting type, and reported the arrival of the schooner "Jerome," Willard, from Phila- delphia. In the morning the papers had " E. G. Willard," Willard, and "Jerome," Willard, from Phila- delphia, reported for three round trips and a half. Both vessels were reported the same day arriving and clearing at Philadelphia and Portland. The next day, on seeing E. G., I found he made, in coming into the Vineyard, Nymshebite, north of Gay Head; he sounding up on the north of Vineyard Island and keeping on sounding until he got up to the middle ground; sounding, off and on, on the south side of the middle ground up to West Chop. When some distance below East Chop he anchored for some two hours. When it breezed up he got under way, running out over the shoals in Ship Channel. When off Nosset, it being clear weather, he run straight for Cape Eliza- beth. When nearing the Cape the first thing sighted was Alden's Rock Buoy, close to the bow, just giving him time to keep off to clear the shoals. When up to Portland Eight they were just lighting it. At that time the schooner "Jerome" was at Wood Island Light. That shows the difference of sailing in one day. How I Left the Coasting Trade. — In the vSOMK OF MY COAvSTiNG TRIPS. 45 summer of 1853 I was taken sick with fever and ague, and I got Capt. Thomas Bibber to handle the schooner for one or two trips. While he was running her I suddenly made up my mind one night that I would trj- and get ni}^ living ashore hereafter; so as soon as able I called on Jones and Hammond, my owners, stated ni3' business, and said that I wanted to sell them my interest in the "Jerome." They wanted me to recon- sider the matter, and offered to build me a larger vessel if I wanted it. But I told them my mind was made up for a change. Then they said that wdien I sold they wished me to sell their interest also; so on the next arrival of the schooner at Portland she was sold to Captain Potter, a colored man. My QlTICKRvST AND SLOWEST CoASTING TrIPS. — Before leaving the account of my coasting trips, it may interest my readers to learn about the speediest and the slowest made while master of the "Jerome." The quickest trip was from Philadelphia and return inside of ten days, with cargo each way. The longest was twenty-eight daj'S and return. January 12, 1853, at 4 p. M., I was towed down Port- land Harbor by the steam tug "Tiger," the wind being northeast and a snow-storm coming on. Mr. George Dow was deck-hand on the "Tiger" at the time. Thinking that it would be a long storm I ran south- east instead of south for Cape Cod, so as to be to the windward if necessar}- to go out the South Channel. The next morning at daylight a high sea broke into the jib, and tore it out of the bolt rope. \\'e ran under short sail the whole day, and at night hove to in South Channel, the sea running too high to scud. In the morning, about seven, we parted both bobsta3-s and came near losing our masts over the stern. 46 CAPTAIN BEN'vS book. We immediately got a stay from the mainmast head to the windlass, hoisted the two-reef foresail, kept off for scndding, and furled the three-reef mainsail. Mr. Bishop Fuller, of Portland, was mate with' me. He put a rope around his body, and, attended by the crew, fished up the bobstays to put on tackles, which M^as a very dangerous and risky job. He was wet to the skin. We kept on scudding until well by South Shoal. Then we hauled up for Long Island, hoping to get near it before the wind changed to the northwest. The gale and snow lasted for forty-eight hours, and wrecked several vessels on Cape Cod, and along the Jersey shore from Sandy Hook to Barnegat. When we got within thirty miles of Long Island the wind came off northwest with snow-squalls and blowing a heavy gale. We furled head sails and hove to under three-reef mainsail for a dead drift. The schooner was making good weather and was perfectly tight. The wake to the windward broke the heavy combers before they got to the vessel, and we only got light water from them. We drifted in this gale almost six days before it abated. Then we had baffling winds for two or three days, with vapor. By this time we were a long dis- tance out in the Gulf Stream. Then we had one calm day with the sun out bright, this being the only day for twenty-two that we got a sight of the sun. All this bad weather we had to cook in the cabin over a cylinder stove, and sit on the cabin floor to eat our meals. Then we took a southeast gale and rain storm ; and I made good use of it by scudding for Cape May under two-reef foresail. We arrived in Philadelphia after twenty-two days out from Portland ; discharged the cargo in one day, SOME OP^ MY COASTING TRIPS. 47 and the sail-maker made me a new jib by working night and day, so that I got my load the next forenoon and my new jib in the afternoon, and bent it going down by Red Bank in a northeast snow-storm. At dark we came to anchor ofif from Chester. The next morning the weather was clear and the wind north, giving us fair wind down the river and bay. Then the wind came west and gave us fair wind all the wa^- home in four da3\s. On arriving home I found that my folks had given me up as lost, as all the papers contained accounts of bad wrecks and big loss of life along the entire coast; and they reminded me that my brother Samuel, who sailed for Cuba in the new bark "Martha Anna," Jan- uarv 12, 1852, at 4 p.m. — just one ^^-ear to a day and hour before I set sail — was never heard from. This coincidence aroused their fears for my safety. If I had run for Cape Cod the first night I should have been on a lee shore, as the wind canted out east the next day. Being to the windward I could go out of the channel with all safety, as I was al^out twenty- five miles from Cape Cod and Nantucket Shoals. I am satisfied if I had run for Cape Cod the first night I should have been among the wrecks reported that memorable week. CHAPTER V. IN WHICH I BECOME A STEVEDORE AND SUBSEQUENTLY A PILOT. TAKING THE ALLAN STEAMSHIPS INTO PORT. PILOTING A BONDED VESSEL, AND THE TROUBLE IT BROUGHT. HOW I WAS UNJUSTLY PUT IN JAIL, AND MY EXPERIENCES THERE. AN APPEAL FOR LONG-DELAYED JUSTICE. SOME AMUSING EXPERI- ENCES. TT P'TER leaving the coasting trade I went into conipanj' with William L-owry in the stevedoring business, our first outfit being two horses with coal tubs, etc. We worked one horse on a double whip, taking out from loo to 125 tons of coal a day. The j-earl}^ total that came to Portland was 11,000 tons. After two years the firm dissolved and I went into business for m^^self. At that time sugar and molasses were hoisted out with the old-fashioned winch. Two or three years later oxen were used, and then horses ; my span being the first used for Chase & Sloan, the riggers. In those days riggers took out all cargoes of sugar and molasses. In 1856 I took Mr. Daniel Gould into compan\\ We had a steam engine made in East Boston, set on wheels to haul around to the wharves and hoist coal and molasses. Gould attended to the shore business, and I started to piloting ships. I Become a Pilot. — My first Avinter of piloting was in a pleasure boat, with a cuddy forward and no deck aft, owned by Capt. Charles Harford, whose ser- vices I hired for the winter. He was brought up a Newfoundland sealer, and could stand more cold weather than any man I ever knew. The Allan steam- I BECOME A PILOT. 49 ships, "North American," "Anglo Saxon," and "In- dian," ran fortnightly that winter between Liverpool and Portland direct. I saw some rough weather and hard work during the season, and had ni}- first, and last, experience in being hauled on board a steamship with the bowline. As I bumped against the sides the breath was nearly knocked out of my body. When I was hauled on board the steamship "North American" the ship rolled down and ducked me twice in the cold water before Chief Officer Eaton had men enough on the rope to haul me up. Finally two men mounted the rail to light up while the men on deck took in the slack. I shouted, "Are you going to keep me here all day?" Since then I have preferred some other way to reach a ship's deck. It was not until the winter piloting was over, and the boat on the beach, that I discovered a big seam about three feet long in her bottom, with only tarred canvas and sheet lead tacked over it. Aly hair stood on end. If I had known the condition she was in, I would not have ventured outside of Portland Light in her. While out for one of these ships, the wind nortli- west, a gale, and cold, I stood out by Wliitc Head near night to see if there was any signal on the Observa- tor}'. I was under very short sail so as to go slow and not ice up. Shortly I saw a row boat coming towards me. When near I saw Capt. Smith Hadlock, of Peaks Island. I asked him what he was out there in the cold for, and he said, "What are you out here for?" I told him I was out there to see if there was any signal out on the ()bservat()r\-, as I was looking for a stcamsliip. He told me why he came was that he thought my l)()at was in a crippled condition and came to render his assistance if needed. u u ll*M i :\IY TROUBLK WITH A BONDED STEAMSHIP. 5 1 AIv Trouble With a Bonded Steamship. — In the summer of 1857 I bought a schooner yacht named "The Alida," and fitted her for a pilot boat. Late in the summer of that \-car the British steamship, "Ante- lope," came to this port from Liverpool. Capt. David Jones came passenger, and piloted the ship into port, and when she went to sea I piloted her out. She came to Portland on a second trip and I piloted her in. She discharged and took in cargo. Before she left port a party of people from the Second Parish Church were invited to a dinner on board by the captain, who always appeared to be a very religious man. He told me that he wanted to go into the stream that afternoon as he had a permit from the United States Marshal. About five o'clock it was high water and I took her into the stream. The ship was attached on a former vovage for a coal debt of $1,000. ^Ir. John H. Cox, Jr., was ship keeper at the time. Captain Smith told me that he expected his agent would bond her. After the tea-table was cleared, decanters and dif- ferent kinds of liquors were brought on. I was invited to partake, but declined. The evening was spent wait- ing for orders, 1)ut no l)oat came. I told the captain I would retire as I had been broken of my rest the night before. He told the waiters to show me a room. On leaving the saloon I left Captain Smith, Mr. Cox, and several passengers there. About two o'clock the next morning the captain roused me and said, " A boat has been off, the ship is bonded, and you can take her to sea when you see fit." I was soon on the pilot bridge, and in two hours we were steaming out of the harbor. When near Portland Light I gave the captain a card marked, "S. E. by S. ten miles distance from Portland Head." This course I gave all captains on going out 52 CAPTAIN BEN'vS BOOK. of the harbor. The captain then asked me where I would leave the ship. I told him a short distance out- side Portland Light. He asked me then if my boat was big enough to take the keeper ashore. I told him it was, and he said if it was not he would lower a boat and set him ashore at Portland Head. Not seeing Mr. Cox since the night before, I supposed he went ashore when the boat came off. I asked the captain where the keeper was, and he said he was below asleep. I said, "Have him called at once, for I shall leave in a few minutes." When ]\Ir. Cox came on the bridge he asked me how it Avas that the ship was going out. I told him what the captain said when he came to my state-room. He then asked me where the captain was and I said, "There he is on the forward part of the house" Mr. Cox went to talk with him. \Miile they were in conversation I rang the bell to stop the engine. The ship then was on her course. I left the bridge and went to the ship gangwa}^ to see to the lowering of m}^ boat, and dropped astern to the ship ladder for leaving. I was in the boat some minutes before Mr. Cox came. While I was rowing him home, he said he could not see into it; that when he went on board his orders from Mr. Qiiimb}' were to stay there until he had written or verbal orders that the ship was clear. He thought it was all right until he got home ; but after seeing Mr. Quimby he found it was all wrong. I, as pilot, was indicted for aiding and abetting Captain Smith in taking the ship to sea, and put under bonds to appear at the June term of 1858. Mr. Edward Fox was ni}^ counsel. When the case came up for trial Mr. Fox said the case could be settled for i'>400. I told him that I took the ship out in good faith, and would not pay one dollar. I AM SENTENCED TO JAIL. 53 I Am Sentenced to Jail. — When Mr. Cox was ou the stand in court, he stated that he repeatedly for- bade Captain Willard to pilot the ship to sea. I sa}^ that statement was false. How could he repeatedh' forbid Captain Willard piloting the ship to sea, when he was in his state-room asleep until called to leave the ship with the pilot? My sentence by Judge Ware was sixt}- days in the county jail and i^20 fine, imposed June 12, 1858. Mr. Adams, now in the firm of Rollins & Adams, was jail keeper at the time. When the officer took me to his office, he said he would put me in the debtor cell, the best room in jail, with some four or live men who were in there for debt. At this time Cox and Williams were in jail for murdering all the crew of the brig "Albion Cooper." After being in jail two or three days Mr. Quiniby came to Mr. Adams and told him that if Captain Willard wanted the lil^erty of the yard he could have it; at the same time saying that tlic mer- chants were making a great deal of talk about the case. Mr. Adams came to my cell and told me that if I wished to have the liberty of the yard I could have it. I thanked him, and said that I did not wish to have any more libertv than those in the cell with me. The food was good, and plenty of it, but I had no use for it as my friends brought me enough for those in the cell with me. One da\- Capt. Thomas Lil)l)y, on arriv- ing from Cuba, on his way home from his Ijrig brought to my cell a market basket full of oranges, pine-apples, and a box of cigars. When in jail about seven days, Mr. Henry (loddard called to talk with me through the iron grates, and said to me that he had called on Mr. Onimbv to know what he was going to do with Captain Willard when they moved the prisoners, as 54 CAPTAIN ben's book. the old jail was about to be torn down. Qiiimby said, "Auburn with the other United States prisoners." Mr. Goddard replied that it lay with him to say whether Willard should go out to the work-house or to Auburn. If to the work-house his friends could go to see him, but if Quimby had fulh^ made up his mind to send Willard to Auburn with Cox and Williams, the murderers, he could get a new bondsman before the sun went down that night. After some sharp talk Mr. Quimby decided that Willard could go to the work-house, and he then left his office and went to my cell to inform me of the fact. Seven Weeks in the Work -House. — After spending ten days in the old jail, the county prisoners were transferred to the work-house. Cox and Williams, the murderers, being sent to Auburn. Mr. Adams told me I could step into the 3'ard uutil he got the prisoners off", and he would take me out in his wagon. The pris- oners were all moved in hacks. As Cox and Williams got into one they seemed to me the roughest looking men that I ever saAv. On arriving at the work-house I was introduced to Mr. Richard Webster, the keeper, who told me to take a seat in the office and when he had fixed the prisoners he would attend to me. When he came back he invited me upstairs, showed me a large front room, nicely furnished, and said that I could have that one. I told him that one was too nice for a prisoner, and that I preferred a smaller one where I could learn to paint ships and flags. He showed me a smaller one, which I took, and said that if I had au}^ company to take them into the front room, and when the dinner bell rang to come to his table. In a few days Mr. Henr^^ Goddard came out with a market basket his wife had filled with ever^-thing nice, for she thought I was eating the jail food. I thanked him and SEVEN WEEKS IX THE WORK-HOUSE. 55 said that I was eating at Mr. Webster's table and would be pleased to see him an^- time, but he need not take the trouble to bring any food. I could not see why it was that Mr. Goddard and Mr. Webster took such an interest in an entire stranger. When the overseers visited the house for their monthly suppers, thev vis- ited my room and we had a social smoke, and thev invited me to dine with them. ]\Ir. Samuel Carleton was one of the overseers at that time. Many captains and merchants came out to visit me. When .Mrs. Webster wanted a nice pigeon dinner, I found an old flint-lock gun, cleaned it up, and put a row of corn out in the back vard. The pigeons came after the corn in great numbers, and I fired and picked up sixteen dead ones. A few days later seven or eight prisoners broke but of the House of Correction and all escaped to the woods. The police and constables were hunting da^' and night and succeeded in capturing some. Air. William Huse called at the house and wanted me to go into the country with him. I told him that I was a prisoner and could not leave. He said that he had seen Mr. Webster and that 1 could go if I wished. Mr. Webster readily consented, saying that lie was not afraid of my running away. So we started out, going as far as Baldwin the first night, which we spent at a tavern there. The next day we met a farmer, who liad given two fellows their breakfast that morning, whose description tallied with that of two confidence men from Boston who were among the escaped fugitives. We traced the fugitives to Xorth Berwick, and found that they had taken the westward train. Mr. Hu.se telegraphed to the Boston police, l)ut they failed to secure the men. After my return to the work-house Air. Webster told me I might send for my wife. I did so, and she 56 CAPTAIN BKn'vS book. was with me some three weeks. While there Mr. Cheney, the turnkey, lost his wife and had to be away a few days. So Mr. Webster got me to take his place. At that time there were thirty-two prisoners in the house. On the Fourth of July, there being a great celebration in Portland and a great deal going on up on Munjoy Hill, Mr. Webster invited me to ride into the city with him. I told him that I did not think it would do for me to come in as I might meet some of the prosecuting officers. He said that it would be all right as long as he was with me. Wliile driving up Congress Street on to Munjoy Hill we met Mr. George F. Shepley coming down. He looked at me very sharply, and I said to Mr. Webster that he would hear from Shepley. The next da}' he did receive a letter from him with orders to keep W^illard close as he wa's seen in the city the day before. When ni}- time expired I paid the :i?'20 fine and left for home. I wish to sa}^ to Mr. Cox, ship keeper, that when he is about to leave this world, to make a full state- ment of the facts from the time he went on board the ship "Antelope " until he left, and to publish that state- ment in the daily papers so that my friends may see it, as I may not be here at that time. Capt. David Jones was intimately acquaiuted with Capt. John Smith, and corresponded with him after his arrival at Liverpool. In a letter from Captain Smith he said that the pilot took the ship to sea ignorant of the true facts, and that he (Smith) took that course to get his ship clear. Mr. Jones had the contents of that letter printed in the daily papers. Had I known the true facts of the case, I could have very easily left the ship after giving the captain his course, and let him wake the keeper and set him ashore with the ship's boat at Portland Head. CHAPTER VI. IN WHICH A SWORD FISH IS 1 lA R]>( )()NEn. IT PROVKS A NoN'ELTV IN I'ORILANI). HOW I I'lLO IKD A DISAKLKI) STEAMER INTO PORT. THE PERILOUS EXPERIENCE OF A PILOP. PULLIN(; DROWNINO MEN OUT OF THE WATER. A FAMOUS CAMPINC;- OUT CLUB. HEN HAWKS FOR DINNER. THE FATHER OF THE FINNAN HADDIK INDUSTRV AND HIS SKILL AT (JUOITS. '"pHH summer of 1858 I caught ni}' first sword-fish iu a lapped-streak, centreboard sail-boat, fourteen feet long. Capt. B. F. Willard, a cousin, was with me. We went to Rock Cod Ledge to catch mackerel, taking harpoon, lance, and line with us. While on the ledge, fishing, we saw a fin, supposed it to be a shark, made sail and started for it. When I got nearer I saw that it was no shark, but a sword-fish. He saw us, and started away. I threw the harpoon and hit him in a good place, gi\ ing him all the line and holding on to the end. The sail was rolled up and taken down, the fish towing the boat after him. After some time he got tired and we began to haul on him slowly, coiling the line into the tub carefully as we hauled. \\'hen we got him in sight of the l)()at he started awa\- and we gave him line, clear to the end again. Then I saw his sword, and he was the most wicked looking fish that I e\er put eyes on. In fact, I was much afraid he would come through the boat. We did not haul on him again for nearly an hour. As he lay motionless on the bottom we supposed he was dead, and hauled him up carefully. When alongside and the gaff in him, I took the lance and lanced him four or five times MV FIRST SWORD-FISH. 59 to make sure he was dead. We had all that we could do to get him into the boat. On arriving home we took him into Mr. K. D. Atwood's fish market to exhibit. When he was measured he was seventeen feet in length. This was the first sword-fish I ever saw landed in Portland. He was on exhibition two days. The market was crowded most of the time to see the monster. The two daj/s brought us in $167 in ten-cent pieces. Then he was skinned and mounted. At that time there were not ten pounds of that kind of meat sold, as people were not acquainted with it. I would, wdien musters were in the city, get a tent of Mr. Fowler, the sail-maker, and put it on exhibition, with a life-size painting of the fish on the outside of the tent. I would take from $40 to $50 a da^-. After keeping it two years, I sold the fish for $25. How I PiL()'ri-:i) THi{ " North A.mkrican'' ix. — In the winter of 1858-59 it was severely' cold. I was then on the pilot boat "iVlida." She set low in the water, her draft was six feet, and she was a good, safe boat, but very wet in a strong breeze. I had one particularly hard trip in her while looking for the steamship " North American," Captain McMaster, from Liverpool. After being out seven days and nights m\- man was taken sick, and I came to land him, shipping Capt. B. F. Willard in his place. While doing this, Captain Crawford, port captain of the Alhiu line, brought me a telegram that the steamship had touched at Halifax and was due here. In coming out she had run into Cape Race and stove a hole in her bow, the forward compartment filling. We at once turned the boat about and went outside, staying there as long as we could. The vapor became so thick that we could not see Portland Light, and the boat iced up badly ; so 6o CAPTAIN BEn'vS book. we stood inside Ram Island Ledge, where the island made some shelter, and anchored. The wind was north northeast and blowing ver}^ heav3^ About midnight our anchor rope chafed off and it took us some little time to get our heav}' clothing on. We got forward and hauled in the rope. B}^ this time we were drifting out b}^ the ledge, where the sea was running sharp. We hoisted the head of the jib, wore around and hoisted close-reefed mainsail, and steered in for Bangs Island. The vapor was so thick we could not see three boats' length. While steering in, the big anchor was got ready and one end of the line made fast round the foremast. \\'hen breakers were sighted near the Point we luffed to, anchored, and furled the sail. I did not dare to go inside the Point for fear of the heav}' drift ice coming down the ba\\ The night being very cold, we took one-hour watclies. The boat was dipping her bowsprit and making ice ver}- fast, and the man on deck kept busy breaking it off. It was B. J. Willard on the starboard watch and B. F. Willard on the port, and the coffee kept hot all night. We had no sleep, but went below by turns long enough to get warm. Before da3'light the wind canted in and the water became smooth. At daybreak the boat was a sight to see; she had settled over two feet by the head, and her bowsprit, jib, foot ropes, bobsta^', and bowsprit gU3'S were one solid mass of ice. B}^ nine o'clock the vapor had so settled that we could see the top of Portland Head Light. Soon after, my brother William, who was towing out a brig with the tow-boat "Tiger," steamed over to me and said there was no clear water inside Bangs Island. As ni}- boat was unmanageable, I towed in with him. HOW I PILOTKI) THK " NORTH A:\IKRICAN" IX. 6l On arrival in town I went to Captain Crawford and reported it impossible to stay ont any longer in the pilot boat ; that the only wa}- was to watch from the Observatory day and night until the ship was sighted. As he agreed with nie I took rockets and blue lights to the tug boat and hired a man to watch from the Observatory the first night, introducing him to Tvlr. Moody, who was always read}' to render any kindness in his power. In the morning I went to relieve m}' watchman ; and about ten o'clock, the vapor having settled, I sighted the ship's flag above the woods on Bangs Island. Then I ran for the tug Ijoat, and the crew happening to be there we started off at once. After passing Ram Island Ledge we ran into thick vapor, and, though I knew about the direction to go, I could not tell whether the vessel was under way or anchored. Finally we heard a gnu, but the report M'as confusing. When the port gun, toward us, was fired, it would sound close by ; but the starboard gun sounded a long distance away, as though the ship were making off. However, we kept on running for the sound and blowing our whistle, and when within two miles of Cod Ledge found the ship at anchor in quite deep water. Captain AIcMaster said he never was so glad to see any man in his life as he was to see me, as he had begun to be deeplv troubled over the danger he was in, and signs of a big snow-storm were multiph'- ing. We steamed in slowly, on account of the press- ure of water against the bulkhead. I took ni}- station at the foretop to look over the vapor if possible. A\'hen within half a mile of Ram Island the tops of the trees on Bangs Island could be seen, as well as Portland Head Light. When I came down to the pilot bridge both my ears were frozen. It began to snow just as we reached the wharf. 62 CAPTAIN BEN'vS BOOK. After the cargo was discharged the ship went to Portsmouth Navy Yard dock for repairs, and I went with her. On the way there the water was two feet higher in the forward compartment than outside the ship. Old sails were stuck in the forepeak and shored up with spars to stop some of the pressure of water. When in the dry-dock she showed where she hit the bluff at Cape Race; it was the fourteen-feet mark on the cut-water, and from there round the forefoot. Fif- teen feet of the keel had slewed off sideways, driving the cut-water into the ship some three feet. Her bow- sprit struck the cliff at the same time. Saving a Man From Drowning. — One day, while walking along Commercial Street, I saw several men running for Burnham's Wharf, and hastened there to see what the trouble was. The wharf was covered with men looking down into the dock. I crowded through them, and looking down I saw a man drown- ing. I immediately pulled off my hat and coat and jumped in, feet first, behind him. It being low tide and about seven feet of water, I stuck in the mud, but kicked myself out and came up. When I got to the surface he was just sinking. I caught hold of his collar and swam with him up to the piling. He had just life enough left to hold on to the piling with both arms. I put one arm on the next pile and held him up with the other, and in a few minutes a boat came with two men from the next wharf. The man was well filled up with salt water and something stronger, I judged by the smell. I immediatel}^ went to work on him, holding his head down for a few seconds for the water to run out, and then holding it up for him to breathe. While I was doing this the men were rowing the boat around to Maine Wharf steps. When he got vSAVING A MAN FROM DROWXIG. 63 on the wharf he was able to walk with the assistance of his friends. This was the second man that I have saved from drowning b}- jnmping overboard after them, and holding them up until a boat came to my assist- ance. In all cases 3-ou must keep behind drowning men, as they will grapple anything that the}^ can get hold of, and if they once get hold of you it will be impossible for you to swim ; in that case both will sink at once. I do not approve of rolling a person on a barrel to get the water out of him, as the water will rush into the throat and strangle him. The life saving station has the best method of treating such cases. Thk "Nettle" and Her Fortunes. — In the fall of 1859 I sold my pilot boat, "Alida," went to Boston, and bought the schooner A-acht "Nettle"; she being a much larger and safer one than the "Alida," and a good sailor. I fitted her up for a pilot boat and put "No. i" in her mainsail. I used her for piloting in the winter and pleasure parties to the islands in the summer, as well as parties for deep-sea fishing. I had a large, safe dor}- built, that would seat twentv-three persons, to land at the islands. This boat came in use for catching big fish. In the warm weather I had all the business that I could attend to. Mr. Daniel Gould, my partner, meantime looked after the stevedoring, which was beginning to increase. I have seen, from sunrise to sunset, sixteen cargoes of molasses arrive in the harbor from Cuba. At that time the}^ began to lay the railroad tracks down on the wharves and fill them with lumber and shook so we could not work on wheels. Some time later, by advice of Mr. John B. Curtis, I built a scow and put a hoisting engine in it and all the equipments to discharge a vessel. That proved a big success, because it could go anywhere a 64 CAPTAIN ben's book. vessel did. As business increased, the steam hoisters increased. At the present time nearly' all the hoisting is done by steam ; an average day's work by steam and one gang being 300 tons of coal per day. In the summer of i860 arrivals of coal and salt were on the fast increase, and the wharves were well filled up with square-rigged vessels, bringing cargoes and taking them away. It was nothing unusual to see, at that time, several barks and brigs beating out or in the harbor as the case might be. That summer the mackerel fishermen were getting good fares, and there was still good mackerel fishing in Casco Bay. Late in the season of i860 I took several mackerel parties out to Rock Cod Ledge, where they had abun- dant success. A Famous Camping-Out Cli^b. — In the summer of 1 86 1 I took the Giojelliere Club to Jewell's Island (giojelliere is Italian for jeweler) to camp out for two weeks, a trip that was repeated for four seasons. The following were the club members : G. A. Thomas, John L. Shaw, George M. Howe, Thomas McKwan, Alex D. Reeves, Charles H. Sawyer, John K. Paine, Sewall W. Thrasher, Charles Carlton, William H. Dennett, William W. Colby, Jarvis Stevens, Waldstein Phillips, Sumuer C. Fernald. The pilot boat "Nettle" was kept in attendance while they were in camp. In pleasant weather the boat was used after breakfast for deep-sea fishing. Plenty of cod and mackerel were caught for their own use. One trip on Rock Cod Ivcdge we sighted a large sword-fish, harpooned him, and in about half an hour had him on board. I con- sider Jewell's Island the best place for camping out there is in Casco Bay ; plenty of fine clams near the camping-ground, and lots of nice eggs, milk, and but- ter from a farm near at hand. 66 CAPTAIN ben's book. Captain Chase, the owner of the island, was very kind to us, and took particular pride in pointing out the places where it was reported people had dug up great treasures buried by Captain Kidd, the famous pirate ; but all the digging we did was for clams — thev were rich enough for us. The club had a highly orig- inal code of rules ; one of them forbidding all sleep the last night of the stay, and another commanding the kindling of a big bonfire on that occasion. Captain Chase gave us all the trees we wanted for the purpose. One day each season was set apart for shooting on the other islands; sandpeeps and plovers being in especial demand. All the game, whatever it might be, had to be cooked. I brought in a hen hawk one time. The bird looked nice and brown when brought to the table. Being the man who shot it I had to do the carving, but my invitation to partake met with dead silence. Nobod}^ seemed to be hankering for hen hawk. It looked so dainty that I was tempted, and cut a piece out of the breast. When I put my teeth into the slice a most horrible oil seemed to come up round them. I did not get the bad taste out of my mouth for a month. The last night was always given up to frolic ; and blacking the faces of the drowsy folks, putting raw clams in their boots, and similar sinful games were indulged in by the more mischievous ones. There was a great deal of quoit pitching during the camping out; four pounders being thrown sixty- three feet by the experts. Mr. Thomas McEwan (the first man to smoke finnan baddies in Portland and the originator of that flourishing industry here) was the champion player and I was his partner. Mau}^ times he was challenged b}- his Scotch friends to con- tests of skill with the quoits, and he invariably won. CHAPTER VII. PORTLAND HARBOR IN WAR TTME. MUCH TANOLED RED TAPE. RUSHING ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS TO THE SHORE. PERILOUS EXPERIENCE OF A COAST PILOT. THE CLOSE SHAVE OF THE "ANGLO SAXON." SUDDEN DEATH OF I\IY FATHER. TN the fall of 1861, it being war time and particnlar caution needed, Air. J. L. Farmer and myself went to Fort Preble to see the captain in charge of the fort in order to fix signals so the mail steamships could pass on up to the city. They were fixed at five whistles of five seconds each. The fort Avas to give the ship one blue light ; the ship to respond with one whistle and pass on. If no blue light was given, the order was to anchor the ship and go on shore to report. This went on well for a time. The whistle was to be given when abreast of the wharf at Bangs Island. One bitter cold night I was taking in one of the mail ships and got no answer to the whistle; so anchored the ship, lowered the boat, and went to the fort. The wind was very strong and cold. We hailed the sentinel. After waiting some ten minutes, an officer and a few men came down to the boat, asking all manner of c(uestions. The officer wanted to know why I did not give proper signals. I told him I gave the signals arranged before going to the shi]), and waited for the fort signal to pass; but no signal was given. He then gave me orders to pass. The next day I called on the captain at Fort Preble and stated my case. The fact was the sentinel was asleep, and he was punished for it. Then the signals were changed. 68 CAPTAIN BEX'S BOOK. The same whistles were given, and if I got no answer I was to pass on. If I got a blue light I was to anchor the ship and report to the fort. That, too, worked well for a time, as the}' could sleep and the ship pass up to the wharf. A little later I was taking a mail ship in, got b}' the fort, and was nearly in range of Fort Gorges, when Fort Preble sent a cannon ball across our bow and ver}' near us. As we heard it scream, going through the air, the captain of the ship asked if the}' were going to shoot us. I told him that I gave the proper signal. The ship was then anchored. The officer heard the chain running out, luckih' for us, as he might have kept on firing. The boat was lowered, and, lantern in hand, we landed. I walked up the wharf and passing the wood pile saw the flash of a musket. I began to think my last hour had come. I understood some time afterwards that the gun was fired to bring the guard. The sentinel cried, " Halt." I did so and waited some time in the cold. Finall\' an officer and ten men came in sight with a lantern. When within ten feet of me he halted his men, and asked, "^Mlo comes there," or something like it. I said, '' Willard, the pilot." Then he asked me why I did not give the signal. I told him I gave the signal as arranged b}- his captain. After a lot more questions he let us pass, though at one time he thought of putting a squad of men on board. The next da\' I called on the fort captain aud a new code of signals was arranged, which worked very well until transports came for government stores to take South. Then there was no end of trouble. The first transport I boarded had but one rust}' old gun that we were obliged to "squib out" to see if it would work; and several that followed had no guns at all. So we went back to whistles, and these had to be changed often for THE BITTER EXPERIENCE OF A PILOT. 69 fear the Confederates would learu the code. One of the ships that came for government supplies was the well- known "Great Republic." When mailships came into the harbor, night or day ( this was before the Atlantic cable began to work), I took the associated dispatches, fastened them to a line and lowered it from the bridge to a boat provided by Mr. Ira Berrv for the purpose; his design being to save all the time possible in getting the news on the wires to New York. He could not wait for the ship to dock. The Bitter Experience of a Pilot. — The life of a pilot is but a hard one at its best, and his perils are many. One day I took the steamship "In- dian," Captain Jones, out, and the weather being calm concluded not to bother the tug, but return alone in my little boat. But by the time we were passing Portland Head a high sea and wind rose and it became very rough. When the ship was a safe distance outside she hove to so that I might leave. The boat was lowered and I watched ni}- chance to drop into lier. It came and I sheered off from the ship's side, singing out to her people to let go of my bow painter; but happening to look over m^- shoulder I saw the bow line becoming taut. Coming on top of a sea at the same time the boat rolled over bottom up, with me under it and the water gurgling in my ears. The next sea turned her right side up and I called to haul up, watching mv chance to seize the ship ladder. In this I succeeded, and mv boat was hauled u]) by the bow line. Captain Jones wanted me to go across to Liverpool witli hiui, insisting that ni}' boat could never live in that sea. But I told him to stop the ship and head for the Two Lights. At this time we were abreast Bell Rock. He ordered a life-preserver put in the boat, and ])ressed a stiff horn JO CAPTAIN ben's book. of brandy on me, biit the latter I declined, telling him that if I was going to be drowned I wanted to die sober. This time, though with difficulty, I cleared the ship's side safely, and started for home. The sea was running yery high as the passengers cro^vded to the rail to watch my course, and the captain sent some men into the rigging for a lookout. I did not haye to row much as the wind and high sea droye me on eyen faster than I wished to go. When high combers came I had to back water with both oars, to steady the boat from run- ning too fast and from broaching. This had to be done until Bangs Island Point was reached. There I got smooth water and pulled hard for Simonton's Coye. It was nearl}' dark when I reached there, thoroughly chilled, and went to ni}- father's house to get warm and pass the night. I think that Captain Jones was as fine a captain as eyer walked a ship's deck. He was a great favorite among his passengers, and always had good luck on quick passages. Later, when he was in the steamship " Hungarian," from Liverpool to Portland, I was out looking for his ship some three or four da^^s, and ex- pecting to see her come in sight every moment. At the end of the fourth da}- I saw the steam tug " Uncle Sam," with my brother William, coming to bring me the news that the ship " Hungarian," with all hands, was lost on Cape Sable. Thk Close Shave of the "Anglo Saxon." — One time I was out looking for the steamship "Anglo Saxon," and had my brother Henry and Capt. Granville Lowell with me. We were out about seven days and nights. The ship was making a long passage. I felt sure that she would heave in sight the seventh night, as she had THE CLOSE SHA\'E OE THE "aXGEO SAXOX." 7 1 favorable weather for the last two or three days. It was a dark night and stormy, and the wind north northeast, but the lights could be seen plainly. About midnight a light was sighted outside. As it came nearer we thought it must be the steamship as the light was brighter than on sailing vessels. Thinking it strange she sent up no rockets or blue lights, we burnt a blue light ; but got no answer. As she got nearer we could see that it was the "Anglo Saxon" with- out doubt. We tacked ship and went to burning blue lights and then a torch ; the torch being made of oakum saturated with kerosene and tied to a boat hook. The ship was running away from us fast. Though we had rockets aboard, the spray was coming over the pilot boat so fast we could not use them. After a while we attracted attention and the ship stopped. At that time all ships ran for Portland Head Light, bear- ing northwest by north, but the " Anglo Saxon " was drifting fast for Trundy's Reef Shoal, as I found by taking the bearing of the light when near her stern. I leaped on board, fearing every moment that she would strike bottom, and sang out at the top of mv voice, " Hard to port and full speed ahead." Then I ran to the pilot bridge, telling the captain that the vessel might strike an\- instant, as she was so near the ledge I could not tell where the buoy was. I still anxiouslv watched the compass, and in a few minutes she changed lier ])earing for Portland Head and I felt safe. Then I drew a long breath, as I let the captain know it was the closest shave I ever saw a ship in and get out safe. When asked why he did not send up rockets while approaching, the captain replied that it was so rough he didn't think the pilot boat would be out such a night. He supposed the blue light was a ship signal- 72 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. iiig for a pilot, and thought he was heading off, I told him I did not wonder he thought so, for he passed me like a greyhound. Seeing the lights in the saloon convinced me that it was the "Anglo Saxon," no other ship being due at that time. She was getting short of coal, had steamed slowly for one or two days, and was using up all the spare spars, fenders, and steerage berths. We finally got the ship to the city and docked her safel}'. She had just a wheelbarrow full of coal left on reaching port. I sta3-ed on the wharf the rest of the night looking for the pilot boat and feeling a good deal worried. As she could onh' fetch Pond Cove or the Black Rocks on the first tack I feared she would have a perilous time. A little after da^-break I saw her coming round Spring Point. It seems that she came near running into Trund^-'s Reef buo\^, the main boom just swinging over it. She was five hours beating from the Black Rocks by Portland Head. When heading off she would dive into the sea up to the foremast, and it was impossible to make much headwa}- in such high seas; but the boat did not fail to tack ever\^ time thej' wanted it to. Captain Lowell suggested to my brother Henry to run out round the cape and go to Wood Island, but Henry refused, saying that if worst came to worst he would run her ashore in Alewive Cove. My Father's Sudden Death. — M}^ father was a fisherman all his life, and went upon the water nearly ever}' suitable da3\ He was noted for his unusual good judgment about running in thick weather. On the morning of June 3, 1863, he went from Simonton's Cove to Richmond Island, in a Hampton boat, with a small boy as companion, to get bait. The two stayed at the island all night, and next morning went to MY FATHKr'S sudden DEATH. 73 the fishing grounds, where they set their trawls and anchored their boat for hand-line fishing. After fishing for a time the boy hooked a halibut. Father went for- ward to handle the fish, the bo}^ put the gafif in, and between the two the}- hauled it into the boat. There it began to struggle, and as my father bent over to finish it he fell back into the boat dead. The boy shouted to Mr. John Still well, who was fishing in a boat quite a distance from them. Air. Still- well, seeing onlj' one man in the boat where a moment before he had seen two, thought something was wrong and hastened to lend assistance. As the bo^- felt confi- dent of his ability to bring the boat in unaided after the mast was set, and haul the trawl too, Mr. Stillwell took father in his own boat and brought him to the cove. When he arrived at the beach I happened to be there. The doctor, who was hastily summoned, pro- nounced the cause of death to be the bursting of a blood vessel on the brain. The bo}^, who is now Mr. Edward Field, Superin- tendent of Government Fortifications at Portland Head, brought his boat in safely, and received manv a com- pliment, as well as something more substantial, for his presence of mind and the skill he displaved. CHAPTER VIII. CAPTURE OF THE "CALEB CUSHINC; " AND THE " ARCHER " P>V CON- FEDERATE PRIVATEERS. THE BOLD ATTEMPT IN PORTLAND HARBOR. A DAY OF EXCITEMENT IN THE CITY. SOLDIERS AND CITIZENS TO THE RESCUE. BLOWTNC; UP OF THE "CUSHINt;" AND RECAPTURE OF THE "ARCHER." CONFEDERATE PRISONERS IN FORT PREBLE. HOW DANIEL GOULD CAME TO HIS DEATH. (\^ ^^^ morning of the ayth of June, 1863, the city was thrown into great commotion by the news that the revenue cutter "Caleb Cushing'' had been taken out of the harbor the night before by Lieutenant Reed, of the Confederate Xav}'. and his crew of twent3^-one, and that she had been sighted off Green Island bj' the Observatory- people. The story of the daring seizure and subsequent recapture is familiar to those acquainted with the his- tor\' of the Civil \\'ar, but may be new to some of my readers- Lieut. C. AW Reed, a commissioned officer of the Confederate Navy, was commander of the privateer "Tacon\'," which had committed many depredations on the northern coast and high seas, and was laden with considerable spoil. Learning that Federal cruisers were after him, and fearing recognition as his vessel had become prett}^ well known. Lieutenant Reed, after capturing the schooner "Archer," of Southport, on the 24th of June, transferred everything to her and burned the "Tacony." The "Archer" was then headed for Portland, for the purpose of cutting out the "Cush- ing," then lying in the stream, and destro3'ing the uncompleted United States gunboats " Poutoone" and '^^ CAPTAIN ben's book. "Agawam," moored at Franklin Wharf, as well as other shipping that might be found in the harbor. While on the way two Falmouth fishermen, Albert P. Bibber and Elbridge Titcomb, who were hauling their trawl in a small boat about eight miles to the southeast of Damariscove Island, were captured by Reed, whose intention was to use them as pilots; but they refused to so serve and were put in confinement. About sunset the "Archer" came to harbor to the east- ward of Pomeroy's Rock, off Fish Point. At this place the privateer remained, waiting for the opportunity^ to carry the audacious design into execution. The clear- ness of the night, it is believed, deterred them from accomplishing the whole of their daring purpose. The Daring Attempt in Portland Harbor. — About two o'clock in the morning a detachment from the "Archer" approached the "Gushing" with muffled oars, and boarded her, gagging and ironing the watch. Lieutenant Davenport, the officer in charge, was seized as soon as he came on deck, and the crew, about twent}^ in number, placed in irons. The cutter was then towed out of the harbor by the way of Hussey's Sound, thus avoiding the forts, followed by the "Archer." Reed passed through the passage between Cow Island and Hog Island, standing out to sea hy Green Island. At ten o'clock in the morning he was about fifteen miles from the city, when the wind died awa}- and left him becalmed. Portland to the REvScue. — On hearing of the audacious attempt all Portland was in arms, and ener- getic measures were taken by Mav'or McGlellan and Gustoms GoUector Jewett. Steamers in the harbor were pressed into service and volunteers enrolled. I learned that the Boston steamer "Forest Gity," Gapt- CAPT. JOHN LISCOMB. STEAMER FOREST CITY." JUNE 27, 1863. yS CAPTAIN ben'vS book. John Liscomb, was getting ready to go to the rescue, and so went down to the boat. Captain Liscomb said he was getting up steam and going over to Fort Preble to get men and guns. It being low tide the steamer could not get up to the wharf, and I suggested that I had a large boat and would take whatever was wanted to the steamer. He readily closed with the offer and told me to take the boat along. On arriving near the fort, a large number of men from the regulars were boated off with rifles, and spare muskets furnished to the volunteers. Two brass field pieces were also taken on board. Then we started for the captured cutter. On passing Bangs Island Point, I went to the foremast head with opera glasses and could make her out in the haze a long distance off. There was a light wind to the eastward and she was headed to the south. We at once cleared for action. When within a mile and a half of the cutter we were in her wake, running straight for her. Then she tacked, and we could see her men getting the midship pivot gun ready. Captain Liscomb ported his helm and stood to the west. Presently the gun was discharged, and the shot, a thirty-tw^o pounder, came skipping over the water, falling just short of the steamer. It was a good line shot. At this time the New York boat " Chesapeake," which had also been pressed into service, and was swarming with armed men, came up. Just then the wind died away to a calm, and it became evident that the cutter could not be handled by her captors. It \vas decided to board her, and I manned the big boat with rifles and put off. When within a hundred yards of the cutter, we saw three boats put off, and, at the same time, flames coming out of her companion way. We at once held back, fearing that the magazine would explode. My BLOWING UP THK "CALKB CI'SHIXG." 79 men were veiy anxious to use their riiies on the escap- ing privateers. Capt. George \\'illard was in the bow, and I saw him leveling his gun at them, saying that he "wanted one." I ordered him to stop, pointing to a white hankerchief on a boat hook, sticking up in the bow of the nearest boat, and telling him that it was a flag of truce, or signal of surrender, which must not be fired upon ; but it was with the utmost difficult}- that I could restrain ni}^ men. While the men were tum- bling over the ship's side, I saw Capt. Albert Bibber among them. The "Forest Cit}^" picked him up, and he told them where the "Archer" was. The steamer at once started for the "Archer " and soon captured her, finding Bob Mullins, a Xew Orleans Confederate, in charge. Blowing i^p thk "Caleb Cushing." — Meanwhile the cutter blew up, sinking stern first in thirtv-three fathoms of water. After sinking, the spars came up with the burnt rigging attached. The wreck was soon surrounded by the steamers "Forest Cit}^" and "Ches- apeake," the tugs " Uncle vSam " and " Tiger," and the fishing schooner " E. A. Williams." All the men in the boats were captured and landed at Fort Preble, from whence they were transferred to Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, and exchanged some sixteen months later. We learned from them tliat they onh- found one thirty-two pound shot in the locker, and were obliged to load afterwards witli spikes and old iron kettles, which the}' broke up. As we were right astern of them, they failed b}- one or two points to train the gun on us. Tlie shot that came nearest to us fell short about twenty vards. When I got to Custom House Wharf, I met Lieu- tenant Davenport, of the cutter, wlio wanted a gang of 8o CAPTAIN ben's book. men to discharge the "i\rcher," as what goods she had were going to the Custom House for storage ; so I put a gang on the vessel. My partner, Daniel Gould, also had men on the wharf loading truck teams, and was directing their movements. My gang found about twenty-five loaded muskets in the salt room; and, on asking the lieutenant what disposition to make of them, we were told to put them on the port side, muzzle to the brake of the quarter-deck. In discharg- ing the "Archer," we found chests, trunks, valises, clothes-bags, chronometers, and spy-glasses, part of the plunder of ships captured by the privateers. There was a great deal of excitement in the city, many threats were made against the prisoners, and the wharves were crowded with throngs of curious people. Lieutenant Davenport placed a guard alongside the vessel to keep strangers from going on board; but, still, some slipped b^-. Thp: La:\ientable Death of Daniel Goi'ld. — While my men were busy passing thiugs out to the wharf, a longshoreman, named John Sidney, slipped aboard unnoticed by the guard. Wandering about to gratify his curiosity, he picked up a musket and care- lessly cocked it; thinking, as so man}- foolish men before and since have thought under similar circum- stances, that it was unloaded. It was high water at the time and the vessel was level with the wharf. He pulled the trigger and discharged the musket, the ball entering Mr. Daniel Gould's thigh, passing through both legs and seriously wounding a man near b}^ Mr. Gould was at once taken home and amputation decided necessary by the doctors. He died under the knife — the only man who lost his life during the whole affair of the "Gushing." Sidney was arrested and put in jail. I was called upon by the city marshal to give THK LAMF.XTABLE DEATH OF DANIEL GOnj). 8 1 111}' opinion of the shooting, and told him that I knew Sidne}' well ; that the man had worked for both Air. Gould and myself; that he was of kindly disposition, and that I was convinced that the discharge of the musket was purely accidental. So the man was dis- charged. Shortly after this I started a subscription paper for Mr. Gould's family. I collected $850; $200 of this amount came from Boston through Custom- House Collector Jewett. I was sent for to come to the Custom House, as he said there were $200 he wished me to receipt for. I asked him whom we should thank for it, and he said that the parties did not wish to be known. A small house and lot of land were bought at Simonton's Cove, of Air. John Woodbury, and deeded to Air. Gould's family. Air. Gould's last words to me were to look out for his famil}-. I told him that I would, and I have done so faithfully. The capture and recapture of the "Cushing" were among the most notable incidents of the Civil War; and peculiarly interesting to Portland people because, for the first time, those at home were brought face to face with armed Confederates. Nor was it less inter- esting to the South, where the daring though unsuc- cessful attempt to enter a New England port and sur- prise its shipping was regarded as an heroic exploit. We looked upon it as a piratical undertaking. The Southern side of the story, though in all essential facts the same that I have told, has an interest of its own as coming from the defeated party in the struggle. It was related for the first time by Robert Hunt, one of the crew of the "Tacou^•," in a paper read in tlic fall of 1894 before the Confederates' \^eteran Association of Savannah, and republished in the ^Portland 'Press of October 27th in the same 3'ear. CHAPTER IX. THE CONFEDERATE ACCOUNT OF THE CAPTURE OF THE "CALEB CUSHING." MR. hunt's VIVACIOUS STORY. HOW THE PRIVA- TEERS STOLE INTO THE HARBOR, STOLE OUT, AND WERE CAUGHT WITH THE GOODS IN THEIR POSSESSION. THE FISH CHOWDER ON BOARD THE "ARCHER," AND THE HUMBLE PIE THE PRIVA- TEERS AFTERWARDS ATE. ^HE Confederate side of the story of the capture and recapture of the " Caleb Cushing," mentioned in the preceding chapter and told by Mr. Robert Hunt, is a vivacious narrative, well worth repeating in this con- nection. "One night in June," says Mr. Hunt, "the Confederate cruiser ' Tacony ' lay becalmed forty-five miles from Portland Harbor. We had been," he adds, "for several days burning and bonding Yankee mer- chantmen, and now among the fishermen, several of whom we had captured and destroyed. About six bells of the first watch, as well as I can remember, our look- out reported a steamer ahead ; our commander came on deck and after scanning the steamer with his glasses pronounced her a Yankee gunboat. 'Well, bo3^s,' he said, ' I guess our frolics are over, but we must tr}- and fool them.' She was soon in hailing distance and as she hauled up her commander hailed us as follows : 'Bark ahoy, what and where bound?' to which Lieu- tenant Reed answered: 'Bark " Mar}- Jane" from Sagua La Grande, bound to Portland.' The captain of the gunboat then informed us that there was a Rebel privateer cruising along the coast and burning mer- chantmen and that we had better keep a sharp lookout. MR. HUNT'vS vivacious vSTORY. 83 Lieutenant Reed thanked him and he steamed awa}^ to the southward. What a narrow escape; we were all speechless ; for more than a minute not a word was passed. The silence was broken by Reed, whose first words were: ' Boys, we have had a close call, but we are still on deck. It is getting too hot for us in this latitude, we must change the programme.' It was pretty generall}- known in the northern and eastern ports that mc were cruising off the coast, and several gunboats and cutters had been sent out in search of us. Lieutenant Reed ordered all hands aft and stated to us his plans, which were as follows : To capture a smart schooner, burn the 'Tacon}^,' go into Portland, burn the two gunboats, then about completed, cap- ture one of the Boston steamers, burn the revenue cutter, put to sea, make for southern waters, and join the 'Florida.' "The next afternoon we captured a smart looking little fishing schooner called the 'Archer.' Her crew were just about sitting down to a nice fish supper. Their captain asked us to join them, and as they had a first- class chowder, besides some nice sounds and tongues cooked as the}- knew how to cook them, we accepted the invitation. After dark wc transferred one six pounder, and such other articles as we needed, from the 'Tacony' to the 'Archer.' We then set fire to the 'Tacony' and stayed b}- her until she burned to the water's edge and sank. Tlic next afternoon wc anchored off Fish Point in Portland Harbor. All hands were below with the exception of a few knocking about the deck. "Those below were employed making oakum balls and saturating them with turpentine, witli which to set fire to the gunboats. At the last moment, when 84 CAPTAIX BEX'S BOOK. ever3^thing was in readiness and every man had received his instructions, our engineer, Mr. Brown, informed Lieutenant Reed that he didn't feel competent to take charge of the Boston steamer's engine. Lieutenant Reed then decided to capture the United States revenue cutter 'Caleb Gushing' and put to sea again. Two boats were manned, and were soon along-side of her and hailed by the lookout, but before he had time to hail again we were aboard and had him silenced. In a few moments we had the entire crew, thirt^'-five men, in irons." The privateers made their wa}' out of the harbor to Green Island, as has been related. There they were becalmed. From this point Mr. Hunt continues his stor}^, as follows : " We found plent}- of powder in the magazine, but no shot or shell. The cutter had received orders the day before to get ready for a cruise in search of the 'Tacon3\' She had taken aboard her powder, and waited for the next day to take in her shot and shell; so we were informed by the crew. Our gunner found one thirty-two-pound shot in the potato locker, which he carried on deck. Our little breeze died away, and Reed ordered all hands below to get what rest they could. AVhile I was looking astern, I saw what looked to be a steamer coming out, and, as I thought, heading for us. I called Reed, who came on deck, and, after looking at her awhile, said he guessed it was the Boston steamer bound out. He went below again, telling me to keep my eve on her. I shortly discovered another steamer astern of her, also coming out, and, on looking through the glasses at the first steamer, saw a crowd of soldiers on the upper deck. I immediateU' called our commander, and, on his reaching the deck and after one glance at MR. hunt's VIVACIOU.S STORY. 85 the steamers, he called all hands to clear the deck for action. The thirtj'-two pounder was loaded ( it was located amidships), and the order given to put the helm down, the gunner and crew in the meantime training the gun to get a range on the steamer. The cutter would not mind her helm. ' Hard down.' shouted Reed, jumping toward the helm. ' Hard down, it is,' I answered. ' O, for a six-knot breeze and a few shot or shell,' cried Reed ; ' we would show them some fun ! ' " The steamers were directly in our wake, and when Reed saw that we could not get an effective shot at them, he said : ' We will give them a scare any- how ! ' The gun was trained as far aft as possible, and the order given to fire. When the smoke cleared away, both steamers were broadside to as if turning back, and we gave a yell and shouted, ' Load her up again,' but we had nothing to load her with. We had plenty of powder, but nary a shot or shell. Reed at once gave orders to set fire to the cutter and abandon her. The prisoners were brought on deck, put in two boats, given the ke}^ to their irons, and turned adrift. I jumped down into the cabin and proceeded to break up the furniture and collect the bedding to set on fire. When the order was given to set lire, I struck a match and in an instant the whole cabin was on fire. I rushed for the companion wa}-, and when I reached the deck I was prett}- badly scorched, eyebrows, lashes, and nuislache singed, and face and hands prett\- well blistered. At this time all hands were in the boats, with the exception of the gunner and m3^self. He had gathered up a lot of scrap iron, nails, spikes, etc., with which he had loaded the gun for a ])arting shot. "Although the steamers were dead astern and not 86 CAPTAIN BEnVs book. within three or four points of the range of the gun, they both stopped when the last shot was fired. We pulled away from the cutter and lay on our oars, know- ing that it would be useless to try to get away. Reed ordered us to throw our arms overboard, and every man stood up in the boats, unbuckled their belts, to which were attached our revolvers and cutlasses, and dropped them over the sides, and, I suppose, they are still lying at the bottom of Portland Bay. Reed then produced a shot bag of specie, which he divided among us. Our next act was to tie a white handkerchief to our boot hook and await our fate. The first steamer had been steering directly for us from the time that we abandoned the cutter. The other stopped to pick up the crew of the cutter. We noticed that when the first steamer got near us, a detachment of soldiers on the upper deck had their muskets aimed directl}' at us as if about to fire, but an officer sprang in front of them, with a drawn sword, and they at once came to a shoulder. We were ordered along-side, a rope was thrown to us, and we were taken on board. One man at a time was allowed to come over the side. He was searched, and then his arms tied behind his back with a piece of rattling stuff, and placed under guard before another was taken on board. There M^ere not less than three hundred soldiers and armed citizens aboard the boat." CHAPTER X. THE WRECK OF THE "BOHEMIAN." SCENES AND INCIDENTS OF THAT MEMORABLE DISASTER. HOW IHE ILL-FATED SIEA.MER WENT ASHORE. A NOTABLE CAMPAIGN ORATOR AMONG THE SURVIVORS. FISHING UP CASES OF GOODS. MR. FARMER, CAP- TAIN sar(;ent, and ihe cook stoviu — the diver who IODK A NAP AT IHE BOTTOM OF IHE SEA. /^^N the morning of February 23, 1864, the people of Portland were startled by the news of the wreck of the steamer "Bohemian," lost on the Cape h^lizabeth shore early the night before. The "Bohemian," Cap- tain Bolan, was one of the Montreal Ocean Line, run- ning between Liverpool and Portland — a Clyde built, iron-screw steamer, about five years old. She was not accounted a fast vessel, Init had often been tested bv adverse winds and rough weather and found staunch. She left Liverpool on the 4th of Februarv with two hundred and eighteen passengers and a crew consisting of ninety-nine men. Her passage was tedious and she was some days overdue. On the night of Februarv 22d she was running slowl}^, and feeling her wav into the harbor, when, about eight o'clock, she struck on Alden's Rock, just as the watch was being changed. She was headed for the shore, but began to sink, and the boats, six in number (each capable of holding six- ty-five persons), were launched. All reached the shore in safety except boat No. 2, which was swamped while being launched. By this mishap fort\-two lives were lost. Among the passengers who escaped was an Irisli lad on his wav to make his fortune in the New World. 88 CAPTAIN ben's book. He is now widely known as the Hon. John E. Fitz- gerald, of Boston, a politician and popular campaign orator. Though his first reception on these shores was of the roughest, America has since made amends b}^ the brilliant career she has offered to him. I was out in my pilot boat, "Nettle," looking for the ship for about five days, having with me Mr. Henry P. Miller, of Simonton's Cove. The day of the wreck I was off about ten miles from Portland Head. There was a light east wind and it was raining. I spoke tM^o brigs, but thev did not wish to take a pilot. We could then see three or four miles distant. I stayed in that local- ity until late in the afternoon. As the fog began to shut in I ran in for Portland Light. About six in the afternoon the wind died away, it became calm, and I anchored a mile southeast of Portland Head to hold my position. Thick fog hung over us and quite a swell was rolling in from the east. Mr. Miller had the first watch, from 8 to 12 P.ivi. Between eight and nine o'clock he called me and said that he heard a gun. I went on deck and asked him in what direction. He pointed, and I looked at the compass and said to him that it was in range of the Cape. I thought it could not be the ship in that direction. Asking him if the gun sounded loud, he said that it was too loud for a musket; and I told him if it was the ship we would hear another gun in a few minutes. We listened a long time, but heard no other, and made up our minds that they were celebrating on board some vessel, as it was W^ashington's birthday. How We Heard of the Wreck. — At midnight it was my watch on deck. About two in the morning I heard a steamer coming out of the harbor, blowing her whistle. I blew the fog horn, so that the steamer HOW WE HEARD OF THE WRECK. 89 would not run me clown. As she came nearer, I blew oftener. When near they hailed me and wanted to know if it was the pilot boat. I recognized my broth- er's voice, and knew it was the steam tug "Uncle Sam." When near me ni}^ brother said that the steamship "Bohemian" was ashore on Broad Cove Rocks, and he wished me to go out with him. Some of the passen- gers were lost, he said. I took my boat, fog horn, and sounding-line and went aboard the tug, leaving Mr. Miller on board the pilot boat with orders to come out when the fog cleared and the wind breezed up. When on board the tug, I found the lieutenant of the cutter with his crew and boat in tow. Aiter steaming a while I told him that he was running broad off and if he would stop I would take the boat and row to Broad Cove Rock. The lieutenant said that he would like to follow me; so I told him to take a sounding-line, as it would not do to get inside of six fathoms of water- After rowing for eight or ten minutes we were along- side Trundy's Reef buo}-. The lieutenant thought that was straight going without having an\' compass in the boat. I told him that we must row outside of Broad Cove Rock and back in and sound as we went. We could hear the breakers on the rocks as we were backing in. We got as near to the breakers as we dared ; and at that time I heard an iron door slam to the southwest, and said to the lieutenant that the "Bohemian" was not on the rock, but on the main- laud. Every time my brother l^lew his whistle on tlie tug I blew the liorn, so he could keep on the outside of me. OrR First vSiciit ok thi-: "Bohi'.miax.'' — \\'lien we got to the ship it was the liardest sight that I had ever looked at. We found Captain Bolan\s boat and 90 CAPTAIN ben's book. crew. He seemed to be completely prostrated over the loss of his ship and the passengers. When we got to the ship all of the passengers not lost were on shore. I learned that day from the chief officer that they were running in a west course, and intended running a half- hour longer. Then they were going to sound and then fire a gun. At that moment the}- saw faintly through the fog the two light-houses and knew it was the Cape by the revolving light. W^hen made thev were off the starboard beam. If the}- had not seen the lights in the course the\^ were going, in ten or fifteen minutes the ship would have run on Richmond Island, or Watts Ledge, at full speed. It was said that the Boston boat sighted the "Bohemian" at the south of the Two Lights on her trip out. The chief officer said that after the}' had turned around they steered northeast to run down by the Cape, After running a while the ship struck on the bottom twice ver^- heavily. It was soon found that she was making water. The helm was at once ordered to starboard. Evidentlv the ship was turning short of Broad Cove Rock. After the engine was stopped by the water coming up, the ship was anchored and orders given to fire the starboard gun. Before the port gun could be reached it w^as under water. That is the reason we only heard one gun in the pilot boat. The ship sank in six fathoms of water. If she had gone two ships' length ahead she would have sunk in ten fathoms, where most ever}- one would have been lost. The "Bohemian" Goes to Pieces. — Mr. J. S. Miller was a passenger on the ship. He was the first to arrive in the city and give the sad news. Captain Barclay was put in charge of the ship, and divers w^ere employed. A wrecking company, engaged to raise THE "BOHEMIAN" GOES TO PIECES. 91 her, said the}- could box up the hatches, pump her out, and take her and her cargo to the city. Mr. Alvin Neal, m3'self, and others fished up a large number of passengers, and bags of mail near the starboard main gangway that were washed overboard from the steer- age deck when the ship sank. Mr. J. L. Farmer thought as the ship was heading southeast and the topmast sent down she would lay eas}- so she could be pumped out in a few da^^s. I told him that the first storm that came would break her up in a few hours. The ship la}' there eleven days in perfectly smooth water, something never known before or since during the winter months. The wreckers kept at work boxing up the hatches. When about ready to use the pumps, there came an easterly gale. The ship went to pieces in a short time, and her cargo was scattered all over the Cape shore. The lighters could have taken all the bale goods out of the ship during that smooth weather, before the gale came. The morning after the gale the wind veered to the north. I got two extra men, put a tackle to the mast-head, and sailed out by the Cape, thinking that the current would take .some of the cargo out that way. After passing the Cape I found the tide streak running about south southwest. When about eight miles from the Cape I began to get in wreckage, and some large cases of dry goods washing level with the water. The first case I got to I put on box hooks. When hoisted nearly out of the water the goods in it were so heavy the bottom came out, and I lost all of the contents. Going a little farther along in the tide streak I found another case. I put rope slings on and hoisted it on deck. In uioving along the streak we found these cases quite plenty. Having a small crew, it was hard, slow work getting them on board. As I 92 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. looked towards Wood Island I saw several fishing schooners standing out in the tide streak, some two miles to the south of me. In a short time thej^ had all their boats out, probabl}^ towing cases to the schooners, to be hoisted on board. About three o'clock in the afternoon the wind died away so I could not follow up the tide streak. I could see the small boats apparently busy, to the south of me, until sunset. I had my pilot boat deck about full of cases, and I started for home. The wind being light and ahead, we arriv^ed home the next day about noon. The Advantage of Knowing Mr. Farmer. — I reported to Mr. J. L. Farmer what I had picked up eight or ten miles to sea. He told me to put them into the Grand Trunk sheds. I asked him if he would receipt for them. He said no, but told me to put them into the shed and they would be all right ; but that did not suit me, as I knew Mr. Farmer. I called on Captain Sargent, the Custom House boarding officer, and told him that I had seen Mr. Farmer and he would not receipt for the goods. Captain Sargent said he could not sign for them. I told him the steamship "St. George" was due here that night to take the mails to Liverpool, in the place of the ship " Bohemian," and when she came in my boat would be back with the goods. I lashed them so they would be safe in case of rough weather, went out for the ship " St. George," and got her about mid- night. In the morning my boat came in. On seeing Captain Sargent he told me that after I Avent outside, Mr. Farmer called on him and wished him to send the cutter out and get the goods that Captain Willard had taken in his pilot boat, as he thought that the heat from the cook stove would injure them. Captain Sargent ASLEEP OX THE BOTTOM OF THE vSEA. 93 told him that he saw Willard before he went out, and the boat would be in b}- morning as the steamer was due here that evening. \\'hen the boat arrived I put the goods in charge of the United States Alarshal, and they were discharged at Portland Pier, at E. Churchill's Iron Block. Many fishermen put their goods into the Grand Trunk Railroad sheds. I learned the^- did not get one cent salvage for them. When the matter was settled, my part and the pilot boat netted me SSoo, and my crew made good day pay, as their shares were fixed as law fixes such cases. After that a wrecking companj- from vSt. John, N. B., was hired to save the cargo on percentage, I learned. I was there often, when out looking for jobs, to see the divers work. AsEEEP ox THE Botto:m of THE Sea. — One day the diver went down and sent up several slings of pig iron. After that the man attending the life-line got no signal, but did not dare to pull up for fear of foul- ing the diver in the wreck. Mr. Dennis, the boss, thought something was wrong, so he hurriedly put on his suit, started another air-pump, and went down and gave signals to haul up the diver. Tlie men in the boat felt that something must be wrong, and when they got him up to the boat and took off his face-piece he waked up. He had fallen asleep, and as the air-pumps were going he got a comfortable nap down on the bottom of the sea. Some said he was out late the night before, and it was hinted that he occasional Iv took strong tea. ONE OF SPOT'S TRICKS. CHAPTER XI. DEEP-SEA FISHING. THE NERVfWS MAN AND HIS GUN. CAPTURING A DUSK.V SHARK. THE ADVENTURE OF THE SCOTCHMAN AND THE WHALE. MV TRAINED PETS, THE COACH DOG AND THE CE;DAR BIRD. ^HE season of 1864 was good for deep-sea fishing. We got three or four sword-lish and one blackfish. While out looking for ships I could see where the game was bedded thick, and would make up a party of friends to enjoy the sport. One of these parties consisted of George Trefethen, Charles, Henrv, and Alpheus Sterling, m3^self, and Mr. J., one of the most excitable men I ever knew. On this account we gave him the front berth. His weapon was a double-barreled shot gun, muzzle loader, such as we all used in those days. Sometimes he would get two charges of shot in one barrel and two of powder in the other, so that the first would not go off and the second would not kill. At Half Way Rock there was plent}^ of game, no light- house being there to frighten it off. Frequently when out for ships I have seen gunners there when the mercury would be twelve below zero, and have carried hot coffee ashore to them — a much more comforting drink on a cold morning than vSebago. On the fishing trips I had ver}- good luck, striking some big game, but never was it my fortune to find the much-talkcd-of sea serpent, whicli has been so frequenth' seen, under favorable conditions, b\- excited sportsmen and tourists on the Cape Pvlizabeth shore. Once, however, I sailed many miles for him, as I will presently relate. CAPTURING A Dl\SKY SHARK. 97 Capturing a Dusky Shark. — During the summer of 1864 I took a part}' of ladies and gentlemen on a deep-sea-fishing trip, when we struck bigger game than we had counted on. We hove to on Rock Cod Ledge, where we found the cod-fish quite plenty. The da}' was delightful, the water perfectly smooth, and nobody seasick. After dinner we stood off shore some ten or twelve miles, hoping to see a sword-fish ; but meeting with no luck started for home. On the way back I saw a ripple from the fin of a big fish, and tacked round and ran for him. The fin did not show enough to indi- cate his species. As we got near he began to sink slowly in the water, so I hastened to use the harpoon, striking him solid before its staff was out of sight. Then I gave him a hundred fathoms of line with a half barrel tied on the end, and sailed around for a short time in search of other fish. Finding none I took my boat with one of the crew, picked up the barrel, and pulled in the fish. The line was coiled carefully in a tub so as to run clear in case he proved game. Sev- eral times we got him near the boat, and then he would make for the bottom. By his action I judged he was a sword-fish. When he grew tired we pulled him to the boat, and to my great astonishment he proved a big, man-eating shark. Then I tried to get my harpoon out and let him go, having no fancy to bother with the creature; but it was in too deep. I would not cut the line, for it was my favorite harpoon and rarely failed me. When he was got along-side the pilot boat all the sails were lowered in order that the halyards might be used to hoist him in with. We got slings on him, but he slipped out, and I jumped for the lance. While lancing him the blood colored the water all about, and one of the ladies seized me by the arm and exclaimed, "Oh, captain! Don't! You will hurt him ! " HEAD TRICK. THE SCOTCHMAN AND THE WHALE. 99 I told her I guessed she had never been out a-sharking before. When the fish became quiet we hoisted him on deck. He listed the boat a foot or more. He meas- ured twelve feet in length, girt seven, his liver filled a barrel, and he had seven rows of teeth — the outside ones ver}' large and about two inches long. The shark was put on exhibition in a fish market for two days, and a large number of people called to see it. Mr. Charles Fuller, the naturalist, said that it was a dusky shark, whose habit is the Pacific Ocean. It was the only one ever captured on this coast. iVfter we were done exhibiting it we gave it as a present to the Portland Natural History Society to be mounted. It was burned at the time of the big fire. In the summer of 1865 we went on a sword-fishing trip off Monhegan Psland. The following comprised the party: Mr, Lemuel Gushing, owner of Cushing's Island; Edward Bicknell, Salem, Mass.; Edward Keene, John Bradford, Capt. J. Blake, and otliers. We captured seven sword-fish and one shark and were three da3'S on the trip. On another sword-fishing trip, a few days later, were the following party : John H. Fogg, Lemuel Gushing, Edward Keene, Gapt. James Blake, and four others. We captured thirteen sword- fish, on a three and a half days' trip. In August, 1865, 1 went to Portsmouth to pilot the United States monitor " Dictator," Admiral Farragut and Gommodore Bailey-. The Ihiited States monitor " Agamenticus " accouipanied her to Portland. The two monitors had a sharp race from Portsmouth to Port- land, the "Dictator" being beaten about two miles, owing to her bearings heating up. Thi-: Scotchman and the Whale. — About this CAPTAIN WILLARD AND HIS DOG SPOT. THE vSCOTCHMAN AND THE WHALE. lOI time a Scotch whaler was introduced to me who wished to go out. He had been on several trips in a New Bedford whaler, and said that he could put me on to a whale. I told him if he could I would do the harpoon- ing. The first day we saw nothing. It blew up to the south and we harbored at Wood Island for the night. In the morning we stood out towards Jeffery's Bank. We caught all the cod and mackerel we wanted, and soon saw a whale. The boat was manned and supplied with implements, provisions, and water. When we got near to the whale, he came up and blowed and went down to sound. The crew were ordered to peak their oars and wait until he came up again. The Scotchman thought the whale like a sperm whale, which would come up Avhere he went down ; but when he came up he was a good half-mile distant. We were rowing nearly all of the forenoon, and I did not see that my Scotch friend could get any nearer the whale than I could. About noon it breezed up to the south, so we abandoned the chase and went aboard to dinner. After dinner we resumed the pursuit in the "Nettle" and saw a school of blackfish four or five miles in length. W^e ran for them, but before reaching the spot saw a large whale, which seemed to be bothered by the man}- fish about him. . He stayed on top of the water most of the time. It seemed a good chance to iron him before he saw us, but before we got near enough he took the alarm and got out of the wa}-. However, I had the good fortune to harpoon a blackfish crossing the bow. Prescntl}' we sighted another whale. I had on board a whale gun to shoot explosive lances. The barrel was made by Charles E. Staples learned that some of the "Sparkle" party were going trouting in the morning. One of them was lyieutenant Inman, who had been there before. He had written ahead and engaged the only boat they had in the trout pond. As Messrs. Burgess and Jackson felt sorrv that thev could not go trouting too, I told them that I thought it could be arranged. I went ashore and saw a farmer and engaged him to take his ha^'-rack and haul my boat to the pond, which was some four miles away. Several of each part}' stopped ashore nights. In the morning while they were at breakfast I dug angle worms for bait. The boat was put on hay so as to ride easy. The morning being misty, we took our rubber coats and started for the pond. W'e arrived at the foot, put our boat into the water, and got the farmer to come back for us late in the afternoon. Rowing up to the head of the pond we found our foresighted friends, who were very much surprised to see us. They were hav- ing fine luck, catching trout fast, and were mighty proud of a fanc}- dip net they had brought along. We anchored there and began to fish. The mist cleared, giving us a good overcast day, and the trout bit fast. Mr. Burgess said it was a pity we did not have a dip net for them. In a few minutes he hooked a good-sized trout. I took Judge Fox's sou'wester hat to use as a dip net and it worked like a charm. The trout ran 124 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. into it and I made qnite a haul, spattering Mr. Burgess in the operation. However, he did not mind that as long as we got the fish and beat the other fellows. We caught all the trout that we wanted, and put some in the ice-chest so we had them fresh all the rest of the trip. I split, salted, and dried some of them. When dried they were as tough as leather and had no taste. Water-SpouTvS. — Having been asked to describe water-spouts, I insert this short description. Water- spouts are whirlwinds occurring on the sea or on lakes. The}^ first appear in the form of an inverted cone attached to a dark cloud. The cone swings back- wards and forw^ards, and gradually approaches the water, which becomes violently agitated. The whirl- ing eddy draws up masses of spray which unite with the descending cone. When fully formed they appear as tall pillars of clouds of a sombre gray, stretching from the sea to the sky, whirling around on their axes. Besides this rotary, they have a progressive, motion. They continue but a brief time, when the column breaks, and rain often descends from the clouds above. The drops of water forming this rain are never salt, as would be the case were they carried up from the ocean. They must be derived from the clouds, as is ordinary rain. The accompanying illustration gives a good idea of them. A Fruitless Hunt for Eider Ducks. — In the winter of 1868 the sea game were very plentiful, par- ticularly the eider ducks, whose places of feeding were Green Island Reefs and Half Way Rock. They came in thousands. I got up the following part}' to go to Half Way Rock: William Senter, George, Henry, and Charles Trefethen, and Alpheus Sterling. The wind was northwest, and blowing very heavy and cold. We WATER-SPOUTS. 126 CAPTAIN BEX'vS BOOK. ran outside of Bangs Island and anchored under the lee to get an earl}^ start for the shooting grounds. AVe got under way earl}' in the morning, but found we could not steer the boat as the rudder had frozen up solid in the rudder port. We had to haul down the head sail and heat water to thaw it out. The ther- mometer was twelve below zero. When passing Green Island it came on to blow a gale. Wq stood in under the lee of Jewell's Island and anchored, hoping to see the wind die awa}- so we could have some fun with the ducks. We found after breakfast that the wind kept on blowing and we decided to come home with no ducks that trip. Mr. Bowles axd the White-Tailed Martin. — In Ma\' Ave had a fine gunning trip to Cape Small Point. We got some over two hundred game, mostly of the coot kind. W^e had gray coot, white-winged coot, butter-bill coot, old squaw, some wild pigeon, a few northern divers, one fine comorant, and one large white-tailed martin. The party consisted of Jonas Hamilton, George Trefethen, J. N. Martin, Mr. Ta3dor, William Senter, m3\self, and two others. On the way home we took one morning at Hussey's Sound for old squaws. Hamilton and Trefethen being the last to leave the pilot boat, the}- hove fifteen or twent}- old squaws aboard, and started for the sound to shoot. About ID A. M. all the shooters came on board. Some of the boats had from five to seven. Hamilton and Trefethen began to throw theirs out and count them, and all the rest of the shooters were ver}- much sur- prised to see so many birds with so little shooting. On arriving at Portland the birds fell short in number. Then it leaked out that they took a suppl}- in the morning from the pilot boat. MAKING A BIG HAUL OF SWORD-FISH. 1 27 The next morning a list of our game was in the dail}^ papers. The Rev. Air. Bowles, seeing the list of game, called on Mr. Trefethen and asked him what he did with the comorant. He told him that Willard hove him overboard. Mr. Bowles said he was very sorrj^ for that, as it was a rare bird on this coast and he wanted it to mount for the Natural History Society. He saw by the paper that we had one large white-tailed martin. Trefethen explained that the rare bird was Mr. Alartin, and said that Willard shot Martin with a number four spent shot. It stung him on the cheek, but did not break the skin, as the distance was some two hundred \'ards. In the morning Mr. Hamilton saw the same account in the papers, and called on Martin at the roundhouse, saying that the Rev. Air. Bowles wanted to see him. "What does he want to see me for?" innocently asked Mr. Martin. Hamilton said, " He wants to get vour hide to mount for the Natural Historv Societ3\" "What are you coming at?" said Martin. Hamilton then asked him if he hadn't seen the paper that morning. When it was handed to him and he read the remarkable item of news his wrath was only equaled by his astonishment. Making a Big Haul of Sword-Fish. — During the summer of 1868, the sword-fish were very plentiful and I captured sixty-four of them. Mv largest trip I brought in August 27th. I Lad seventeen sword-fish and one shark. One of these fish was twenty-one feet in length, and weighed nine hundred and fifty-nine pounds. The smallest one was eleven feet long. This one, with the shark, was given to the Peabody Institute 128 CAPTAIN BEN'vS BOOK. to be mounted. The trip lasted three days. The fol- lowing composed the party : Capt. A. S. Oliver, Capt. James Blake, Edward Keene, Lemuel Gushing, Edwin Bicknell, of Salem, Mass, and one or t^^o others. We saw no one else fishing on the grounds. These fish were caught twenty-five miles south southeast of ]\Ion- hegan Island. My next sword-fish trip was to the same grounds. A\^e found plenty of them and captured twelve in one day ; then hove to for the night. During the first part of the night we were bus}- dressing the sword-fish to ice up. It being calm and smooth, the sharks came around in great numbers to get the waste we were throwing overboard. While washing the deck down one came up to the scupper to get the blood that was running out, and the top of his back was out of the water. I told the party to stand back away from his tail and I would lance him. I took the lance and stood on the house away from the rail, giving it to him good and hard. In his hurry to get away from the boat his tail came out of the water five or six feet, throwing water nearh' all over the boat. No sooner was that shark driven off than others came up to the same place. I lanced three or four more for the amusement of the part3\ When morning came the wind began to breeze up southeast and rain to fall. It came a strong gale and we had to run for home. The seventeen sword-fish lot brought eight and a half cents a pound, the twevle lot eight and a quarter. The}' were shipped to Boston bj' K. D. Atwood. During the summer I stocked $1,150 on sword-fish. Then all the fishermen pre- pared for sword-fishing, and ha\e made a business of it ever since. CHAPTER XIV. A CRUISE FOR THE SEA SERPENT. DISTIN(;UISHED JURISTS AND CLERGYMEN HUNTIN(; THE WHALE. LOTS OF FUN BUT NO FISH. A COLORED COOK WHO TURNED WHITE. COLLECTING SHIP NEWS FOR THE DAILY PAPERS. RESCUE OF A GUNNING PARTY ON HALF WAY ROCK. CAPTAIN SENIER AND THE "SPARKLE." 7\ BOUT this time a .sea serpent was reported off the coast. I got a crew and started in the "Nettle" in search. We cruised three days M'ithout seeing him, and then abandoned the quest. On the way back we captured a blackfish and sokl it to Air. Johnson, the lobster dealer, thus making more out of our hunt than most people do who chase sea serpents. In the spring of 1S69 the "Nettle" and the "Sparkle" both took gunning parties to Cape Small Point Harbor and gunned in the small boats. Later in the season I took the following party for deep-sea fish- ing: Judge Edward Fox, Rev. Dr. Shailer, Rev. Dr. Burgess, George E. B. Jackson, Mr. John Short, Capt. James Blake, Dixon D. Fuller, and two others besides the crew. When about a mile outside Ram Island, Judge Fox saw a big fish break water and called my attention to it. After a few minutes we saw a 3^oung whale some thirty feet in length come up and blow, I immediately got my harpoon ready and took position on the end of the bowsprit, with a life-line around my bod}' and jibstav. Fuller hauled the boat up and got things ready. At that moment the whale blew close to the lee quarter. As he came forward I coukl see 130 CAPTAIN ben's book. him under water. He crossed under the bowsprit, some ten feet deep, and came up on the starboard side to blow, giving me a good chance to throw it with all ni}^ might and it took effect about midway on the left side and buried all of two feet in him. I told Fuller to jump into the boat with another man, and got in off the bowsprit as soon as possible. As I boarded the boat the whale began to run the line quickly' out of the tub, and the man who got in with Fuller grew frightened, jumping out, and climbed upon the j^acht. We gave the fish the whole line of a hundred fathoms in order to get the end through a leader in the bow of the boat. The boat was onl}' fourteen feet long, built sharp for a stevedore boat, and unsuitable to attack laree fish in. The whale ran to the southwest until he got in the ship channel ; then changed his course to northwest and ran for Portland Harbor. We had hauled in about fifty fathoms of line, and when oppo- site Portland Head Light he came up to blow and then went under; heaving his tail up as they usuall}- do when going down to sound. The next time he came up to blow I sent the lance into his back, but too far aft to be much good. At this time we were very near the yacht, thus giving the party a grand view of the monster. As he ran he kept near the top of the water, the line cutting through the water and humming like a fiddle-string, while ever}' timber of the boat trembled. I really think that he was going thirty miles an hour. " By jinks, aint he going? " shouted Fuller. It being perfectly smooth water, we held to him. He only ran with this speed about ten minutes. We looked around to the pilot boat and she was four or five miles away, to the leeward, so we could hope for no help from her. Every time we hauled on to him and HUNTING THE WHALE. 131 got near his tail, hoping to have a chance to lance him when he came up to blow, he would see us and run around in a circle with great speed, like a horse in a circus ring. Our boat being sharp, we could not turn around quick enough and would have to pa}^ out line to keep from hauling under. The circling was repeated twent3'-five or thirty times while we -were fast to him. When to the south of Cape Elizabeth some six or seven miles, we came across Ellis Usher and took him on board, dropping his boat astern and towing her. Then I had help to haul on the line. But the two boats towing did not make any difference in the whale's speed. Several times I lanced him, but it was too far aft to be any good. When we had been fast to him about four hours he seemed to get tired, and as he came up to blow I sent the lance on an angle well for- M'ard. It took effect in his back about ten feet abaft the spout hole. The staff broke off at the socket. Then we were crippled, as it was all the lance we had in the boat. For about an hour the lance staj-ed there, showing the socket every time he came up to blow. Finallj^ it worked itself out. W'e still held on to him, hoping that the pilot boat would get up to us so we could obtain some weapons. We could then have killed him easily. After being fast to him for six or seven hours the harpoon drew out. At this time we were about twent3'-five miles south southeast of Cape Eliza- beth, with the pilot boat all of six miles to our leeward. Then, being tired and hungry' and with not a dr}- stitch on us, we gave up the chase. Some two days after this the whale was picked up near Cape vSmall Point, towed in, and put on exhil)ition. When found by the fishermen he had a big wound mid- way on the left side and several wounds on the back. 132 CAPTAIN ben's book. He evidently died from what the doctors call heart failure, consequent upon the harpooning we gave him. It was my usual fortune with whales. I have had good luck in catching all other kinds of large fish, but whales have baffled me. I have been fast to several, but never succeeded in capturing one. However, the party enjoyed the sport hugely, and Judge Fox and his friends went on many a trip with me while I kept the "Nettle." How THE Black Cook Turned White. — The next trip out for big fishing I had no party excepting Capt. James Blake, a colored cook, and myself. We were some twenty-five miles south of Cape Elizabeth, when we saw a large school of blackfish, ran on to them, harpooned one of a good size, and took the line in the boat. I took the cook with me. The blackfish kept up with the school, towing fast. We hauled up to him and when he came up to blow I gave him the lance. Then he made the water fly high up in the air. I looked around to see if the cook was steering the boat and found he had turned white with fright. He begged me to cut the line and let the fish go. I told him when I got a little nearer I could kill it in a few minutes. We found that the fish would tow us up to Boon Island, so we hauled him roughly, to stop his speed, and the harpoon drew out. I think the cook was glad the fish got awa}-, for he came to his natural color at once. A REvScue at Half Way Rock. — When I first began stevedoring I collected ship news for the daily papers. While in the harbor one night a coaster came in, and reported that two gunners were on Half Way Rock, having lost their boat. He tried to rescue them, but the wind was blowing hard to the northwest and a A RESCUE AT HALF WAY ROCK. 133 rough sea raging, so he had to give up. The}- would freeze that night, he said, if not taken off, I went to the revenue cutter and reported the case to the lieu- tenant, who said he would send to the Cape for Captain \\ aldron. In the morning I was up to the Observatory before daylight. The cutter was getting under wa}- to go down. One of the men on the rock was Douglas, the well-known gunner. Both were taken off by the cutter's boat in safety. They were Harpswell men, who went to Half Wa}' Rock in a Hampton boat, and punt to land in. Some time in the da}^ a heav)' squall came up and the boat went adrift. The}- started in the punt to get the boat, but it upset and the two men swam ashore. The wind took the punt on shore so they turned it up on one side for shelter. The}- got some dr}' powder out of one of their powder horns and started a fire with what loose stuff they could gather. When that went out they ran to and fro over the rocks to keep warm. I don't see how they kept alive that bitter cold night with their clothing wet through. I have often thought of the night when I have been there with ni\' friends on shooting trips. It will be seen by this that shooters on the water take chances; still it is not so dangerous as shooting in the M'oods, where gunners shoot on seeing the bushes move and often kill men in mistake for deer. I would rather trust myself on Half Way Rock than take to the bush with a careless man. Captain Sextkr and the "Sparkle." — The fall of 1869 was good for sea game. Capt. William Senter and party with the yacht "Sparkle," and the pilot boat " Nettle " with a party, went to New Meadows Bay, had great sport, and shot a large number of surf ducks. Mr. Senter was the life of the company. When CAPT. WILLIAM SENTER. CAPTAIN SEXTKR AND THE " SPARKLE." I35 it was thick weather my lantern was put over the boat's stern by night to keep in sight with each other. At times the two parties would make bets on the first yacht to arrive and want me to help them. I said, "No, I never leave my friend Captain Senter in thick weather. If you liad asked me before starting, I should have told 3'ou to never bet against Captain Senter and the yacht ' Sparkle.' His \-acht and mine have taken many friendly parties out for shooting and deep-sea-fishing trips." CHAPTER XV. THE PEAEODY OBSEQUIES. ARRIVAL OF THE "MONARCH" OFF PORT- LAND, AND SEVERE TRIP OF THE PILOT BOAT IN SEARCH OF HER. THE IMPRESSIVE NAVAL PROCESSION UP THE HARBOR. ADMIRAL FARRAGUT AND THE "TERROR." ANOTHER GREAT NAVAL PAGEANT. THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE'S HAT. (\^ the 4th of November, 1869, the cable brought intelligence of the death of George Peabody, the eminent philanthropist, who, by the rare simplicity of his life, his upright and honorable career as a merchant, and his broad and liberal charities, had endeared him- self to the English-speaking people of two continents. It was his last wish that his body should repose in his native state, Massachusetts ; and, so, after a stately funeral in Westminster Abbe^^, his remains were brought to America on the great iron-clad " Mon- arch," the pride of the British Nav}^, accompanied by American vessels of war, detailed as escort. Port- land was designated as the landing place. By joint resolution of Congress the President of the United States was authorized to make suitable preparations for the reception of the body, and a fitting portion of our fleet ordered to repair to Portland under command of Admiral Farragut, the ranking officer of the Ameri- can Navy. The " Miantonomah " and the "Terror" (formerly the " Agamenticus " ) were selected. I was appointed pilot by the Board of Trade, in case such service should be required by the incoming fleet, and received my commission, signed by President Jonas H. Perle}- and Secretary- ]\I. N. Rich, on the 29th of December, 1S69. THE PKABODY FLEET ARRIVES. 1 37 The Peabody Fleet Arrives. — January 25, 1870, I got a telegram saying that the "Monarch" and her escort, the " Plymouth," were off South Shoal light-ship. I got ni}- boat read}-, took the mails at the post-office directed to the two vessels, and put out to meet them. Reporters of the Kew York Herald and Boston Globe, who were lying in wait, called to get a chance to go on the pilot boat with me. I declined to take them, on the plea that I couldn't tell how long we should be out; but took Mr. L. H. Cobb, then of the Portland Advertiser and now editor of the Press. He was the onh' one I wished to take. ^I}' crew were Capt. William Small, Mr. Purington, and Air. George Green, who was to pilot the "Plymouth" in. We started that afternoon, in a strong, northeast wind, with snow aud sleet blowing. Three sails were carried. When near Bangs Island I heard a gun at sea. At Ram Island Ledge we took in the foresail, as the sea was getting very rough. In sight of Bulwark Shoal it was breaking high. About that time a sharp, high comber came over the bow, tumbled down on deck, washed off the fore-scuttle hatch, aud swept over the top of the house to the mainmast. Se\eral barrels of water M-ent down into the forecastle and struck a hot cook stove. ]\Ir. Purington, who was in the cabin at the time, came running up and said that the bow was stove in. Captain Small at once put the hatch on and lashed it down, and I luffed up so the boat could shake the Avater off. When the steam cleared away so I could see the cabin the water was about two feet deep on the floor. It looked hard for a few minutes, but the only thing to do was to keep cool. The pumps were rigged and set to work, and after a time we surmounted the danger. Meanwhile we kept off" for the ships, as we could hear their guns at constant intervals. 138 CAPTAIN ben's book. Sighting the "Monarch." — After passing Cod Ledge some two miles we sighted the "Monarch" in the mist, made toward her, and shortly saw the "Plymouth" a short distance to her leeward. We passed under the lee of the " Monarch" and hailed her to send a boat for the mail and pilot. Presentl}^ we got aboard, and the "Plymouth" being signaled, Mr. Green was sent to her as pilot. By this time the snow was quite thick, and the captain on the "Monarch" hesitated whether to go in or haul off for the night- On my assurance he went ahead, and anchored in the lower harbor. Soon after we anchored, a government tug came along-side to render whatever assistance was needed. The captain of the "Monarch" wished me to see Ad- miral Farragut and ask him to take charge of the ship. This was about nine o'clock at night. I went ashore and found the Admiral at the Falmouth, where he made his quarters. The hotel corridors were filled with reporters and other curious people. The Admiral planned to have the ships come up the harbor, two abreast. On m^' reminding him how we sailed in the " Terror " ( then the " Agamenticus ") from Portsmouth some years before, and what a bad steering ship she was, he readil}' recalled the trip, and with a smile made his dispositions accordingh\ About midnight he com- pleted his preparations to go to the United States ships, and I was ordered to the " ^^lonarch." When I went out to her in the morning on the government tug the reporters from New York and Boston wanted to go with me, and I took them. I was glad to show them the depth of water in Portland Harbor at low tide, as a bitter controversy had been raging between Boston and New York papers as to the respective depths of ANOTHER GREAT XAVAL PAGEANT. I 39 water in those harbors, each contending that a big battleship like the "Monarch" could not get into the waters of the other. The chance to show them the capacity of our harbor was too good to be missed. When the "^Monarch" came up the water was low, as it happened, and I called the attention of the reporters to that fact, inviting them to stand by the man who was heaving the sounding lead. The shoal- est water we got all the way up was eight fathoms. They were much surprised at the depth and, I believe, made mention of the wonderful capabilities of Portland Harbor in their correspondence. The "Monarch" was escorted up the harbor by the " Plymouth," " Miantonomah," and "Terror," and salutes repeatedl}' fired during the progress. By one of these discharges, in which sixt}- pounds of powder were used, the glass windows in the pilot house of the " Miantonomah " were shattered, and the captain and pilot driven down on deck. The procession up to the wharves was the greatest naval pageant ever seen in these waters, and one never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it. Thousands of people crowded the wharves, and lined the streets through which the funeral cortege passed on its wa\' to City Hall, where the body of the great philanthropist was to lie in state. It was one of those beautiful days, sometimes seen in a New England winter, when everything is encased in armor of frost. The rigging of the ships in the har- bor was covered witli ice, the twigs of the trees were coated with it ; and as the sun struck upon them tlic spectacle was one beautiful to look upon. Tlic city and the ships seemed sheathed in glass. Another Great Xaval Pageant. — This was not the onh' great naval pageant in which 1 partici- 140 CAPTAIN ben's book. pated. I had the pleasure, in 1S60, of piloting the British warship "Hero" into Portland Harbor, when that vessel came for the purpose of carrying back the Prince of Wales, who was just finishing his visit to these shores; and I also took in the battleship "Nile," sent from Halifax to act as the "Hero's" escort. When the Prince went on board and the 3'ard-arms were manned, it was a prett}' sight to see. He stood on the pilot bridge, going down the harbor, with the Duke of Newcastle b}- his side. The Duke's head-gear was novel to Western eyes, and the irrev^erent specta- tors raised a shout of "Oh, what a hat!" But however the hat looked, the manning of the yard-arms was as handsome a sight as I ever saw. The sailors sprang to their places in a moment, at the word of command, and remained there as still as statues while the ceremony was going on. The spectacle was witnessed bj- a great crowd of people, for the cit}^ was thronged during the Prince's brief visit. Man}- of our old citizens, then 3'oung, will remember the occasion and the gala appearance Portland presented. CHAPTER XVI. I BECOME AN INVENTOR, AND PATENT A LIFE-PRESERVER. ANOTHER FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR THE SEA SERPENT. A FUNNY FOURTH OF JULY IN PORTLAND. HOW THE HAND-ORGANS PLAYED IN LINCOLN PARK. AN EARNEST PLEA FOR LIGHT- H(JUSE IMPROVEMENT. 7\ FTER having several close calls from being drowned I began to reflect that " self-preservation is the first law of nature," and so invented a rubber life-preserver, of which the accompan3'ing cut conveys a good idea, and had it patented. It has been pro- nounced the neatest and most convenient article of the kind ever found of practical use. Its advantages over the ordinar}' belt life-preserver lie in the peculiarit\' of construction, which retains the flat, belt-like shape when inflated, its exceeding lightness, and its compact- ness. In the diagram the sectional view shows the walls, which keep it in form; the partitions being per- forated so as to allow the air to pass freely to all parts. It is so compact that it can be worn under the clothing, either about the waist or under the arms, without discovery, being secured in position by tapes as shown in the diagram. The inflating tube is flexi- ble, and when the time for use arrives can be inflated in an instant ; the wearer thus being prepared at once for the emergency. It lias been found of especial ben- efit to bathers, as its si/e and form wlicn inflated are such as not to impede the motions of the swimmer, and in cases of cramp has rendered inestimable service. I had it made in six sizes, from thirty-two to forty-four MV CRUISE FOR THE vSEA SERPENT. 1 43 inches in length, each when inflated being only two inches thick; and it proved very popular with sea- faring men and all whom business or pleasure leads upon the water. The summer of 187 1 the pilot boat was used for fishing and sailing parties to the islands, and longer cruises along the coast. That fall I took the Richards brothers, who came down river from Richmond in a cat-boat, on a gunning excursion which lasted ten da3's. We had good sport and secured lots of game. The summer of 1872 was also good for fishing, and the luck was satisfactor}'. The sea serpent w^as reported off the coast this year, and I cruised two da^-s for him, but failed to catch a glimpse of the monster. My Cruise for the Sea Serpent. — In the summer of 1873, if I remember rightl}^, the sea serpent was again reported, off Boon Island this time. As my boat was receiving new rigging, I called on Captain Paul, of the yacht "Viva," to see if he would go out. He could not, but gave me the use of his yacht to cruise as long as I pleased. I got the following crew: K. D, Atwood, Alex Ta^dor, Theophilus Hopkins, E. Smith, and one or two others, with Mr. George O. Gosse as passenger. We cruised between Wood Island and Boon Island the first da}-, anchoring at Wood Island that night. The next morning we got under way, cruising broad off shore and to the eastward. When off Seguin we learned that the serpent had been seen the da}- before. We cruised as far east as Mon- hegan Island, and not seeing anything came home. The same day that we started for home, as we learned afterwards, the serpent was seen about eight or ten miles to the eastward of us. He was seen by two or three captains of fishing vessels. The}- were in sight 144 CAPTAIN ben's book. of him some two or three hours, and one of the schoon- ers started in search, but the wind being light could not gain on him. All who saw him give the same description of his head and neck, and say that he was going about four miles an hour, but as to the bod}' and length thej^ vary. They agree that he was only seen on calm, hot da^^s. I was well prepared with all kinds of implements and four hundred fathoms of line, and I had ni}^ mind made up not to harpoon him until near enough to the head to strike him between the eyes and destroy his sight at first stroke, and take my chances to back off from the lashing of his tail. When clear of the tail, I would give him all of the line by putting half barrels on each one-hundred-fathom section. Then I could watch his movements from the first half barrel and wait and let the iron do the killing. But the chance to test this plan never came. This season the serpent came on the coast with the herring and went east into the Bay of Fundy, in which he was seen several times during- the summer. He went off the coast when the herring went. The last time he was reported was by one of our New York steamers when within about thirty miles of Cape Cod. It is my opinion that his native home is deep in the ocean and that he onlj- comes up after food, near the surface, and perhaps at long inter- vals. If not a real sea serpent he has a head and neck resembling one, and is certainl}^ a strange monster of the deep. Though a great many disbelieve in the existence of the sea serpent there are numerous and well-authen- ticated instances in which he has been seen. No longer ago than 1833 five officers of the British ami}- sailed in a yacht on a fishing excursion out of Halifax, Nova HOW THE HAXD-ORGANS PLAYED. 1 45 Scotia. Thc}^ got out farther to sea than they wished, and were returning in tlie afternoon when their atten- tion was called to leeward by an exclamation of the old sailor who was acting as steersman of the boat. Looking to leeward they beheld, according to their sworn testimony sent to the London Zoolofjisi, " at the distance of one hundred and fift}- to two hundred yards, on our starboard bow, the head and neck of some deni- zen of the deep, preciseh' like those of a common snake, in the act of swimming, the head so far elevated and thrown forward by the curve of the neck as to enable us to see the water under and beyond it. Tlie creature rapid!}' passed, leaving a regular wake, from the com- mencement of which to the forepart, which was out of the water, we judged its length to be about eight}- feet, and this is within rather than beyond the mark. It is most difBcult to give correctly the dimensions of any object in the water; but the head of the creature appeared to be about six feet in length, and the portion of the neck we saw the same. In thickness the neck equaled the trunk of a moderate-sized tree. The head and neck were of a dark brown or nearly black color, streaked with white in irregular streaks." How THE Hand-Organs Played in Lincoln Park. — In the summer of 1873 our city gOYernment held some stormy meetings concerning a celebration on the Fourth of July, but failed to raise any money. We boys, young and old, were not satisfied with simplv ringing of bells, so several of us " chipped in" to have some fun and a good celebration at not much expense. We sent a telegram to Boston to Mr. W. T. Brown, to see for what price he could get twenty hand-organs to come to Portland and play all day. The price given was fiYe dollars each and expenses. We sent for 146 CAPTAIN ben's book. tliem to be here in the morning on the Boston boat. I called on ]\Ia3^or Wescott, and got a permit to put the bands in Lincoln Park. He said that Chandler's Band was engaged to give a concert in the evening. I promised him we would take our bands off the park by six o'clock in the afternoon and send them back to Boston b}' the seven o'clock boat. I left him laughing. The evening and morning papers had notices that twenty bands were coming from Boston on the steamer to play in Lincoln Park, and that the best German and Italian music might be expected. On the arrival of the hand-organs here they were escorted from the boat to Mr. Bibber's, on India Street. At seven o'clock in the morning the}-- were escorted to the park with orders to receive no money from the public on penalty of being discharged. On arrival at the park they were placed side by side, and the tunes permitted to mix. Eight of them were placed around the fountain and the others at the different walks coming into the park. There they stood five hours in the forenoon and five in the afternoon, not saying a word to au}^ one and playing awa}^ for dear life. I have never seen so many people in the park since it was opened. It was crowded all day, as there was no other spot in the whole city to see any fun. Everybody I met felt pleased with the music and the crowd went off the park shout- ing with laughter. The bands were paid off at Bibber's, highly pleased with their pav and treatment and wish- ing to come again. I am in favor of a fair celebration on the Fourth of July. It brings lots of money into the city and some, even many, get a benefit in all kinds of trade. Our citizens here are pajnng taxes to run the city gov- ernment, and our city fathers should do something to OUR LIGHT-HOl\SES. 147 celebrate one day in the 3'ear at least. If they want a cheap celebration, I advise them to send to Boston and get an army of hand-organs at five dollars apiece and expenses. IMany teams were on this occasion offered us free to take the organs and march around town, more particularly to serenade those gentlemen that voted against a celebration. Our Light-Houses. — In the course of these recollections considerable has been said of our light- houses, and further facts concerning those most famil- iar may be of interest. The building of Portland Head Light-house began in 1788, and it was finished and first lighted Januarv 10, 1791. The building of Half \\ a}^ Rock Light-house began in 1869, and it was first lighted August 15, 187 1. This light is very valuable to masters and pilots coming into Portland from the east, and no doubt has saved man}- lives and a large amount of property. B3' its aid vessels get into port or shelter from strong gales, when otherwise the}- would have to haul off from the coast and take the consequences. Many coasters, perhaps most, are not prepared to meet bad gales. The light-house board made a bad mistake in 1855, when the western Cape Light was discontinued. Captains on long vo3-ages and unaware of the change would, on reaching the coast by night and seeing but one light, invariabl}^ keep off if the wind were fair, and go to Seguin. There, too, they would find but one light, and in consequence would be completely puzzled as to their position. Several vessels came near being wrecked by the change. In 1856 the pilots and masters petitioned Congress for a return of the old method of lighting, and the change back to two lights was made. 148 CAPTAIN ben's book. Portland Head Light has been cut down twenty feet (I think twice, the last time in 1883) and the power reduced from second order to fourth order lens. It could not be seen far in even clear weather. Mr. Robinson's house near Pond Cove used to have a lamp at the window which was as bright as that at the Head. Probably they used dogfish oil. After continual pro- test by pilots and masters a reef was shook out and hoisted up twenty feet and the second power lens put back. There has been no change since, and I hope there never will be again, as the light is satisfactory to all mariners. While I was in the pilot boat " Nettle " I had a good chance to see the lights, and cheerfully give all the light-house keepers credit for keeping the lights in first-class order. I don't cruise outside nowa- days, but think of those wdio do. People who stay at home and live in rooms kept at seventy to seventj^-five degrees of heat don't know much about the weather outside, or the hardships on the water in the cold winters. An Earnest Plea for the Fog-Bell. — Mas- ters and pilots need a good bell on the Breakwater, but some of our light-house inspectors are opposed to it. A strong petition has been offered and ignored. It should be heeded. Portland Harbor will never be as it should be until a decent bell that can be heard is put up and a light at Spring Point. I may not need it, but those who follow me will. No less than two and a half million people pass in and out of this harbor yearly, and a great amount of property is carried to and fro. Big ocean carriers in winter, passenger and pleasure boats in summer, costly yachts from New York and all along the coast, ply our waters. It is criminal to put all this to risk. I am surprised that any government AN EARNEST PLEA FOR THE FOG-BELL. 149 officer sent to observe this coast and its harbors should think a proper bell dangerous or misleading, and as long as I live shall never cease to work for it. When I am gone I hope ni}- friends will keep the good work up until our masters and pilots have what the}- and the public need for the protection of life and property. The bell buo}- put near the Breakwater by the government in 1893 is entirely useless for its destined purpose, though it might do well enough as a roost for the swans that swim in the little pond in Deering's Oaks. Side-wheel steamers, after passing the buoy, sometimes ring the bell by the motion of their wheels in the water ; but propellers and sailing vessels would have to run into it to make it sound. I am glad to learn that the government is about to place a bell on Stanford Ledge to be rung by elec- tricit}'. It has been needed for years, and steamboat captains and pilots will rejoice. When a light and bell have been placed on Spring Point Ledge they will rejoice still more, and feel safe in entering our harbor in any weather, no matter how thick. CHAPTER XVII. DAYS WHEN A HOGSHEAD OF COAL LASTED PORTLAND A WHOLE SEASON. MR. SAMUEL E. SPRING AND THE GOVERNMENT SALE OF CIGARS. GUNNING ON RICHMOND ISLAND. FORMATION OF THE WILLARD SHOOTING ASSOCIATION. PAT AND THE LOON. TOURING all these years the stevedoring business in Portland had increased, steam-hoisting engines largely taking the place of horses. The coal trade steadily developed, until it has now reached unexpected proportions. It was about 1826, I am told, that Capt. John Waite brought the first hard coal to Portland from Philadelphia in a hogshead lashed on his quarter- deck. He brought, too, an open-grate stove to burn it in; and when he started the fire all the neighbors flocked to his house to see him burn "the rocks," as they called them. The next 3'ear he brought sixty tons and several more stoves. AMien I began steve- doring, in 1853, about 11,000 tons were brought to this port. In 1894 the total number was 653,000, and the demand is constantly increasing. A Curious Transaction in Cigars. — But coal was not the only commodity I handled. Man^- 3'ears ago the government sold over 200,000 cigars, stored in a warehouse on Atlantic Wharf. The da}' before the sale people had the privilege of sampling them, and Mr. Samuel E. Spring called on me to go down with him. On going through the cigars we came across one lot of 40,000, with a rough wrapper on them, and on cutting the cigars open found long fillers and splen- did tobacco. The most of them were fanc}- brands A CURIOUS TRANSACTION IN CIGARS. 151 with smooth and handsome wrappers, but filled with poor tobacco. This lot was an exception. Mr. Spring said to me if he bought an}- I could have them at cost. The fancy brands were sold first. The bidder was to take nothing less than 5,000, but more if he so wished. When the 40,000 were sold there was slow bidding; those present supposing that ^Ir. Spring, who made a bid, only wanted a small lot for his own use. The cigars were sold to Mr. Spring, and when asked how many he wanted he said he would take the lot, and asked me how many I would take. I told him 5,000. A few days later my friend, Doctor Gale, wanted 200 or 300 to try the brand, and I sold them to him. Shortly after a Custom House officer called on me and asked me if I sold some cigars to Doctor Gale. I told him that I did. He said that he should have to impose a fine on me for selling cigars without the government stamp. I told him that I did not know that I was liable, as I bought them for mv own use and was not in the habit of selling cigars, but let the doctor have those to tr}'. I asked him if he was joking or in ear- nest. He said he was in earnest, and was quite stiff about it. I told him the cigars were bought b}' Air. S. E. Spring at government auction at Atlantic Wharf some days before. He asked, "Are these tlie cigars? " I told him the}' were, and that was the last that I heard about the matter. Sometime in the seventies Collector Washburn thought I was a smuggler, and put mc under one thousand dollar bonds, Mr. William Scnter becouiing ni}^ bondsman. I was much surprised at the charge, but discovered subsequently that it was made to divert the attention of the real offenders and give the officers a chance to pounce upon them. 152 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. Gunning and Game on Richmond's Island. — In the spring of 1879 we gnnners chartered the sloop " Rocky Mountain," Capt. Ben Hamilton, to go for a shooting trip. We were all day getting to Richmond's Island. Game was plentiful and we had fine sport. Mr. J. F. Randall and Capt. Ben Hamilton in one boat, Joseph F. Fowler and myself, in the other, went near the Kirkwood House and had our decoys all set before day- light. As soon as daylight the game came plenty and over the decoys, near enough to see their eyes. Fowler would shoot on his side of the boat, and I on mine. He would let go two barrels and I the same. I would ask, "What you got. Fowler?" He would say, "Noth- ing, what you got?" "Nothing," would be my reply. The fact was we could not shoot well on the wing, but we had a good chance to practice and kept at it. Sometimes a large flock would come near and we would give them four barrels, bring down five or six, and get them. The}- were so thick that the shot would take them three or four feet from where we pointed. So we were shooting behind them. When one would light at the decoys we had him. We used muzzle- loaders, but this time I had Mr. George Round's breech- loader. The game would come right back again before we could load the muzzle-loaders, and by having the two guns I got mixed up a little. As my gun was half loaded when the game came I would pick up the breech-loader and fire. Finally I got two charges of shot in one barrel and two of powder in the other. When game came one barrel would not kill and the other would not go off. Then Fowler had the laugh on me. At noon, when our ammunition gave out, we had about twenty birds, mostly of the coot species. We went on board to dinner, got a new suppl}^ of ammuni- ADVANTAGES OF POSSESSING A BAROMETER. 1 53 tion, \vent back, and set the decoys. The game came as flush as ever. I left the breech-loader on board as the cartridges gave out, and used the muzzle-loader. We had better luck in the afternoon until I lost my ramrod while ramming the wad down. The air sent it some fifteen feet overboard. So after that Fowler would shoot and I would pick them up. I reall}- think if we had been good for shooting on the wing with breech-loaders, we could have got a boat full. During the da\' we got thirty-eight game, and thought we did well, as our boat was high line. I think if Randall and Hamilton had had our places they could have got a hundred. We all had great sport and good weather. The party in three da^^s got some over two hundred game. The Advantages of Possessing a Barometer. — May 17, 1880, the yacht "T. B. Davis" was char- tered with Capt. Nat Haskell for a shooting trip, and carried the following party: J. F. Randall, Joseph F. Fowler, George Stanwood, Ben Hamilton, Taylor, and myself. We had good sport. Late one afternoon we anchored at Stratton Island. The wind was southwest with not a cloud to be seen. After supper Mr. Randall and some of the part}- went on shore to get milk and eggs. Soon after they left I looked at the barometer and saw it was falling fast and a gale near at hand. Presently the boat came off. At this time it was calm. I told them to hoist the boats on deck. We would hoist in two and tow one. Several said it would be a good night to lay there; but I told them it was no har- bor for a north wind, and the anchor would not hold her off the rocks. The first whiff of wind we got under wa^- to go to Richmond's Harbor. Before we got a mile from Stratton Island the wind came with a 154 CAPTAIN ben's book. rush and we liad to shorten sail at once. It was a cold north wind, and when we anchored at Richmond's Harbor it took both anchors to hold her. The wind was a gale with plenty of white caps on the water. The next day was good for gunning and game. We gunned in the forenoon and came home in the after- noon with all the game we wanted ; and when we arrived home, all that wanted a pair of birds had them free. It was fun to see the game go up Commercial Street. Everybody knew that the gunners had got home. This shows the advantage of a barometer. I got one in 1859, ^^'^i^i^ I bought the pilot boat "Nettle," have made a close study of it ever since, and still keep it. The farmers should have one to tell them when to cut the grass. Oftentimes they cut it on a high glass because it is clear and hot weather. Then come east winds and fog, and the grass turns black before they get sun to make it. Should the sun come out at noon for a short time it heats the grass, which is bad for the ha3^ May 7, 1881, the fishing schooner "Agnes Bell" was chartered by our gunning part}- for a fourteen days' cruise to the eastward. We wanted to go to Point La Prow for brant shooting, but were baffled. We had the wind east and raining most of the time, and the barometer was high all of the trip. G. F. Loveitt and myself thought we would open the barom- eter to see if we could get better weather. On turning a screw on the back she went down to typhoon mark; so we turned back the screw and let her rest. We got as far east as Crumple Island and went ashore to see the Portland gunning part}^ which was there. Mr. Martin, who was of the part}-, treated me to a pop cocktail. I can't say what the others took. I give this party credit for saving lives from wrecks in a gale, % y^ -sr- .^^tmM ^ "" ^^r^^^^^^^^^K^^ ■ S^Wv^^^^^T^W^^^^^ ^" J. N. MARTIN, PRESIDENT OF THE WILLARD SHOOTING ASSOCIATION. 156 CAPTAIN ben's book. when on one of these cruises, by going to an island inside, breaking in the door of the life-saving boat- house, getting the life-boat out, and saving the crews. The life savers were off pay until fall, and so no one was at the station. After that government bought part of Crumple Island, as it was an outside island. During our trip east we only captured one hun- dred and thirt}^ sea game. On the way home we saw lots of game, but it was too rough and rainy to go in small boats for them. The Willard Shooting Association. — ^January 27, 1881, the Willard Shooting Association was organ- ized with Mr. J. N. Martin, President, and Capt. B. J. Willard, Vice-President. The association leased land of Ami Whitney, in Falmouth Foreside, and put up a club-house that cost $250. After the house was built and ready we had fine sport shooting glass balls from the trap for practice. We invited other clubs from the state and had good, friendly shoots on our grounds. During 1882 we returned their visits. April 19, 1883, we had a very interesting match game at the club grounds at Falmouth with the River- side Club of Topsham, Me. The match was very close and the score as follows : WILLARD SHOOTING ASSOCIATION. Single pigeons, 20. Double pigeons, 8 Glass balls, 20. Total, 40 birds. Randall, 17 Willard, ....... 20 Harmon, 19 Todd, 16 McKenney, 15 Davis, 17 Martin, 15 Noyes, 15 19 Total, 36 17 " 37 17 " 36 15 " 31 15 " 30 16 " 33 17 " 32 16 " 31 PAT AND THE BIG DUCK. 1 57 F. Merrill, 15 17 Total, 32 Deane, 13 16 "29 Hawkins, 16 17 "33 Hall, 13 13 "26 Day, 14 19 ''33 205 214 419 RIVERSIDE CLUB. Single pigeons, 20. Double pigeons, 8. Glass balls, 20. Total, 40 birds. C. L. York, 14 14 Total, 28 A. L. Goud, 15 18 ''33 C. Goud, 15 17 "32 G. Goud, 18 14 " 32 A. Hall, 16 16 "32 Mc. Hall, 19 17 "36 C. Winslow, 15 15 "30 A. Perry, 16 16 " 32 C. Hayes, 20 16 "36 S. Knight, 14 18 "32 H. Stetson, 15 15 " 30 G. E. Keene, 12 11 "23 S. Strout, 15 16 "31 204 203 407 Pat and the Big Duck. — Ma}- 5, 1882, we gun- ners chartered the pilot boat "Maggie," Captain Poor, to go shooting between Richmond Island and Wood Island. The part}- consisted of J. F. Randall, J. F. Fowler, Mr. Farrington, and myself. Randall and Fowler went in one boat, G. F. Loveitt and mA'self in another; Farrington with Captain Poor. We had the best fun shooting that we had seen for a long time. Loveitt and ^l3^self bagged fift3'-two sea game in two and one-half hours at what is called "Old Proprietor." The game came so fast our guns got hot, so the}- were uncomfortable to handle. After shooting four daj'S we 158 CAPTAIN ben's book. returned home, having three hundred and thirteen birds total, ninety-six of which were old squaws. When we were at the wharf all parties coming for birds were given a pair, and the birds were flying all over the city. I saw a man on the wharf by the name of Pat and asked him if he did not want a mess of birds. He said he did, and I told him to come down the ladder and get them. I gave him two, and Pat asked me what I was going to do with that big duck. I told him he could have him if he wished. The big duck was a monstrous big loon, nearly three feet long. When Pat got on the wharf he took the pair of birds in one hand and the loon by the legs in the other, its head dragging on the ground. I never learned how Pat got the feathers off from him. CHAPTER XVIII. HOW THE "BROOKLYN" STRUCK ON HOG ISLAND LEDGE. OLD NEPTUNE VISITS THE PILOT P.OAT " MAGGIE " AND SHAVES THE PASSENGERS. MR. STROUT'S ENCOUNTER WITH A SWORD-FISH. SOMETHING ABOUT SPANISH MACKEREL. 7\ BOUT eleven o'clock the night of April 6, 1883, the steamship "Brooklyn" of the Dominion Line steamed out to sea on her way across the Atlantic — a trip she was not destined to complete that time tr3'ing. Being the stevedore for the line, I was on the wharf with Captain Reed and Messrs. Torrance and Scanlan to see the ship off, and then went home. About midnight my door bell rang violently, and on answering it I found ]\Ir. Dufriends, who said that the "Brookh'n" was in trouble down the harbor and sending up rockets. He wanted to get a tug boat to go to her relief. ]\Ir. Torrance soon after drove up in a hack, and we went to Capt. A. S. Oliver to engage the tow-boat " Express." As soon as steam was up we started. Our supposition was that the "Brooklyn" had run into some vessel, and then anchored; but we found her ashore on the southwest point of Hog Island Ledge. Returning to the city, we took a team to look up lighters to go down in the morning as soon as pos- sible to lighten the cargo. We tried to get Captain Hamilton's sloop, the " M. M. Hamilton," but she was being stripped to receive a gang of rigging. So we went to Knightville, to the house of another Captain Hamilton, and secured all the lighters we wanted, five or six in number. The cargo was promptly discharged, I — TT r.n^fi-.. CAPTAIN WILLARD AS NEPTUNE. AN INTERVIP:W with old NEPTUNE. l6l landed at the Grand Trunk sheds, and later sold at auction. The Boston steamer was obtained from Mr. Coyle to take out the live stock. The work went on night and day, and gave employment to a large num- ber of men. At the same time I had two ships at the wharf, making the largest paj^-roll I ever had in one week since going into the stevedoring business. I had Mr. Albert B. Hall with me to assist in paying off the laborers. The "Brookl^ai" Avas discharged, floated, and put into the dr^- dock, where temporary repairs were made to enable her to cross the ocean. An Interview with Old Neptune- — May ii, 1883, a party consisting of J- F. Randall, Doctor Cum- mings, Doctor Merrill, Dr. George Fyre, J. F. Fowler, G. F. Ivoveitt, H. Trefethen, and m3'Self went on a six days' shooting trip in the pilot boat " Maggie," Captain Parsons. We found sport good and bagged four hun- dred and sixty-six sea game, the birds being given away to those who wished for them when we got home. Our next trip gunning in the "Maggie" was with about the same party. I found that the most of our sailors had never crossed the equator, so thought I would have some fun. I called at Littlefield's and got a suit to dress up as Neptune; a mask, long, gra}- beard, wig to match, a comical hat, and a suit to go with it. This was put on board the boat in charge of the cook, who was enjoined not to let the party know anything about it. I called on Lyman, Son & Tobey for a speaking trumpet, and IMr. Guptill made me a present of one. I had a nice razor for the occasion, one that I captured at a whist part}^ as a booby prize. I let Mr. Ivoveitt into the secret, and told him when Neptune hailed the ship "Maggie" to call all the sail- ors on deck. Wood Island Pool was to answer for the LONG HOURS AND SWEET SLEEP. 163 equator. So one morning after breakfast, while the party in the cabin were having a smoke, I went on deck to the forecastle and told the cook to pass up my box. I dressed up as Neptune. When ready I hailed the ship "]\Iaggie." Loveitt came out of the gangway and called all hands on deck. When on deck I in- formed them that all sailors who had never crossed the equator before would be shaved by Neptune. When the razor M'as taken out of the case it was found to be nearly two feet in length. As I advanced aft to per- form the shaving Doctor Merrill was frightened and started to jump overboard. Mr. Randall caught him by the coat and I advanced and gave a dry shave. The usual custom is to use strong-smelling slush for lather. I looked around for Doctor Frye and he had slunk into the cabin. I sent the quartermaster after him and he brought him up. About the time I got through shaving the sailors, Mr. Husse}^, of W^ood Island Pool, rowed off with some clams for the party. When he got sight of Neptune he started to row away, Neptune told him to come back for he would not hurt him. Mr. Hussey said that he had read a good deal about Neptune, but never saw him before. Long Hours and Sweet Sleep. — I would give the morning call at i A. ]\l, for the gunners to turn out, breakfast at 1.30, and start away in their gunning boats at 2 with lunch and coffee to get on the gunning ground and have the decoy set by da^dight, so as to be ready to shoot when the game came. Each boat would try to get ahead of the other in bagging game. Usually we got back to the pilot boat about 4 p. ^u, and counted the game. Then it was clean up the guns and get read\' for the next day, and then have supi^er. By this time the part}- would Ije pretty tired, so all slept well. 164 CAPTAIN ben's book. We had one good rule and kept it strictly, and that was that no gunner should pass his gun from the pilot boat to his boat loaded, or from small boat to pilot boat loaded. The penalty for violation of this rule was a dollar fine. By this means we never had any acci- dents by shooting. When two men were in the boat the man forw^ard would keep the muzzle of his gun pointing forward, and the man aft, the muzzle of his pointed aft ; so if a gun should be accidentally dis- charged nobody would get hurt. I believe Mr. Fowler once shot a dory bird, and Tvlr. Randall a boat bird. On this trip the total number of birds bagged was three hundred and seventy-two, mostly old squaws. There were only sixteen coots in the lot. May 7, 1887, the part}' was smaller and we gunned two days, getting one hundred and eleven birds. May 10, 1888, was the last gunning trip I made in the "Maggie," when we got two hundred and eighty-eight birds. SwoRD-FivSHiNG BY Steam. — In the summer of 1883 I built a steam water boat, called the "Fannie G.," to tow and fill water in my hoisting scows, and September 2, 1884, made my first sword-fish trip in her with Capt. D. Peterson and the following part}- : Hon. A. A. Strout, Mr. John B. Curtis, John Bacon, of Illi- nois, William Taylor, A. H. Mantine, T. E. Sumner, of New York, and H. T. Strout. We left Portland at eight o'clock in the morning. Sword-fish was reported off Cape Porpoise. When off Boon Island we saw one, but could not get near him. In the afternoon the wind breezed up, and it was some chopp}^ We harbored at Portsmouth and the party stopped at a hotel. We took in coal and water for the next da^^ At two o'clock in the morning we vSWORD-FlSHING BY STEAM. * 165 started down river, steamed off to the south of the Isle of Shoals, among several vessels looking for sword-fish, and steamed to the northeast. About ten o'clock we sighted a fish, harpooned him, and soon had him on board. About eleven, in running down towards Boon Island, I saw another under water and had just time to harpoon him. The boat was stopped and backed. We hauled him along-side, put gaffs in him, and pulled him on board. He lay still, and I got another iron ready and got out to the pulpit to look for more. As the party gathered around the fish he all at once began to jump, and I thought that he would jump overboard. In jumping he knocked Mr. Curtis, Mr. Strout, and one other man down on deck. I got in as soon as possible, took a club and hit him on his sword, which stilled him. It was fun to see the party run aft. I had to laugh heartih'. vSome minutes later Air. Strout said, " Ben, I believe you did that on purpose." Later we saw one more, but could not get on him, as all the fish were shy at sight of so many vessels after them. B}^ this time it was getting late in the after- noon and we had a long way to go to Portland. When near Boon Island Ledge I told the partv that this ledge was famous for rock cod in summer, so the}- wished to try it. We had good bait on ice. We hove to, and as soon as the lines went down to the bottom there was a good-sized cod-fish on the hook. Not having anv tub to put them into, they were put on the deck until it was coxered half-knee deep. The party enjoyed the sport hugel}'. I had hard work to get Curtis and Strout to start for home. I think that thev would have kept on fishing until dark. We finall}- got started. During the two days water and weather were all that could be asked for, and the trip will long be remem- 1 66 CAPTAIN BEnVs book. bered b}" all on board. The part}' arrived at Portland near eight o'clock in the evening. The next morning the sword-fish were landed. One weighed about five hundred pounds, and the smallest one two hundred and sevent3^-seven pounds. The cod was given to friends. Alost of the party never saw large fish capt- ured before, and some were ne^•er on salt water until this trip, so you see it was a great sight for them. A trip like this is good for a business man, allowing him to escape from business cares, and he never forgets it. Feeding GrounDvS oe Sword-Fish. — I have been asked to give the different feeding grounds for sword-fish. The}- are known to be plenty off the south- east coast of Japan. vSonie are found to the north of New Zealand. The}' are also seen to the west of Mex- ico and from Newfoundland along the east coast of North and South America to the river La Plata. They are again found from Norway on the west coast of Europe, and south around Africa up the east coast to the Red Sea. A few are on the west coast of Ce^'lon, a few in the China Sea, and in the South Atlantic along twenty degrees west and twent}- south latitude. As a centre they appear to spread over a surface of six hundred miles square. This is about half wa}- from the Isle of St. Helena to the coast of South America. Spanish Mackerel. — As to Spanish mackerel we find the following in the "Fisherman's Memorial and Record Book," which gives an idea of the abundance of the species in Alassachusetts Ba}- in the earh' part of the present century: "In 1812 a large school of Spanish mackerel visited this ba}^ ; and so plent}^ and numerous were they that they would bite readil}- at the bare hooks, and seize upon small bits of line hanging i68 CAPTAIN ben'vS book. from the vessel. Standing-room boats were then mostly in use, holding from fifteen to twenty tons. These rooms held from fifteen to twenty barrels and the crews would catch them full in a few hours. Mr. Timothy, at Rowe's Bank, at Gloucester, Mass., bought most of these mackerel fresh, after being dressed, at two cents a pound, salting them in his building; and the busi- ness, which lasted two months, was a lively one." These mackerel did not continue on this coast more than a few years and have now almost entirely dis- appeared. There were a few caught with the other mackerel as late as 1825, since which time it is very rare to see one during the entire season. CHAPTER XIX. •|HE SCHOONER "P.. J. WILLARD" AND HEK FORTUNES. HOW STEAMERS HAVE TAKEN THE FREIGHTS FROM SAILING VESSELS. THE WAY IN WHICH I CELEBRATED THE PORTLAND CENTEN- NIAL. ABOUT THE WATER BOAT "FANNIE G." SUNFISH AND THEIR CURIOUS FORMAITON. ^HE schooner '' B. J. Willard" was contracted for by my brother Charles, who was lost at sea abont a month after making his contract, while on his way from Philadelphia to Portland in his schooner "Georgie Deering." He was overtaken bj^ a heav\^ g^^^ from the northeast in the vicinity of Cape Cod, on the 9th of March, 1872, and no tidings of the crew or vessel have come from that da}^ to this. ]My nephew, B. F. Woodbur}-, soon after took charge of bnilding and fitting her for sea, and went master. She sailed from Bath, ]\Ie., with a cargo of ice for Philadelphia, September 20, 1872, on her first voyage. The last of November, 1876, we sold her to Bolton, Bliss & Dallett, for a packet to rnn between New York and \^enezuelan ports. In abont two years' time the firm were compelled to pnt on a line of steam- ers or lose their bnsiness. The "W^illard," with the rest of the sailing vessels, was sold. In ICS79 she became a total wreck npon a reef near a salt port in the Mediterranean. While we owned her she ran with few mishaps. It mav be of interest to some of my friends to read her record. She was one of the first three-masted schooners bnilt and owned in Portland. At the time THE vSCHOONER B. J. WILLARD." 171 she -was building, tlie Bath ship-owners looked upon three-masted schooners in disgust, although their builders were building, that year, quite a fleet of this class of vessels for Cape Cod, Taunton, and New Jersey captains, on contract. It did not take the ship-owners long to see there was more money in this class of vessels than in their larger wooden ships which had to come in competition with English iron ships which were given a preference of five shillings per ton freight, besides favor given by English Lloyds insurance com- panies. The "Willard" was built to carry 500 tons of coal. At that time this size of vessel was considered a large vessel, and we were bothered to get that much cargo very often. She was built to run as a packet between Portland and Philadelphia. There was a nice business in out freights of mackerel, herring, oil car- peting, shovel handles, canned corn, and sundry- other goods; freights back to Portland, on coal, varving from $2 to $4 per ton, according to the season. Sugar freights, at that time, from the north side of Cuba were from $5 to $7 a hogshead. Times have changed now; all the general freight going from Portland to Phila- delphia is being shipped l)y the way of the New York steamers or Boston boats and forwarded by steamers to its destination. As the manufacturing plants increase the coal orders enlarge, and at this time it is more common to have a cargo of coal arrive here of 2,000 tons than it was of 500 in 1S72. The "Willard" was noted for her good sailing Cjualities; and the first two years for the good dividends to her owners. I will give liere a statement of her earnings as made up from her books by Capt. B. F. Woodbury: vSailing from Bath September 18, 1872, her first dividend was declared October i6th, and amounted to 172 CAPTAIN BEN'vS book. $694,92 ; her second, of $700, December 4tli ; her third, $879.54,011 March 3, 1873; fourth, $1,600, May 5th; fifth, $1,280, June 13th; sixth, $2,400, September i8th; seventh, $647.60, October nth — a total of $8,157.06. All bills for her construction and outfit were paid September 14, 1872, her cost being $23,985.82. The last dividend was paid November 30, 1876, and brought the total up to $20,525.22. She was then sold for $18,752.96, thus bringing to her owners, above cost, $15,292.36. The cost of running the vessel for the four years and two months was $6,970.94. The total amount of freights earned was $76,605.94. In Januarv, 1874, she went from Portland to Matanzas with freight which earned $1,195.11, and thence to Philadelphia with molasses at $4 a hogs- head, which brought $3,662.92; a total for the round trip of $4,858.03. This was made inside of two months from leaving Portland. How I Celebrated the Centennial. — Jul}' 4, 1886, Portland's centennial celebration occurred, and it was a grand affair. There were in the harbor at the time five warships, the " Yantic," "Swatara," "Tennes- see," "Galena," and the French warship "Talisman." They were all trimmed with flags, as were the other vessels, and it was the grandest sight ever seen in Portland Harbor. The weather was perfect. At that time I was the harbor master, and I got an order to move the mud dredge out of the channel to give a clear course for a rowing regatta from Union Wharf to Fish Point and return. I got a boy in an express wagon to take me on ]\Iunjoy Hill to see Mr. Gerrish to have the dredge moved, which was promptl}- done b}^ hauling it to the end of Franklin Wharf. WHY I lp:ft off smoking cigars. 173 In coming down the hill on my return, and near the Portland Company office, the whiffletree dropped on the horse's heels and he ran awaj-. The driver could not control him, and when near Mountfort Street everything looked wild. I balanced myself, jumped o\er the forward wheel, and landed on the ground ; and when I struck it broke both bones of the left leg near the ankle and I rolled over against the fence of the Portland Company yard. M}^ foot was numb, and I did not know the bones were broken until I started to get up. The first man I saw coming was Capt. Scott Oliver. He was soon followed b}' others, and I was taken home in a grocery wagon near at hand. It was a hard celebration for me, and one that I shall never forget. My steamer " Fannie G." was engaged with a sloop lighter to visit the warships and get brass field- pieces with sailors to go in the procession. It was one of the finest parades ever in Portland. Why I Left Off Smokin'g Cigars. — In the year 1888 I had a stroke of paralysis on the left side, caused by smoking cigars and getting my blood full of nicotine. While smoking I felt no ill effect and it never seemed to shake my nerves. I called Dr. H. P. Merrill. His advice was to stop smoking cigars, and that advice I have kept, and shall the rest of my life. He brought me out of it in a few days. At times ni}- heart would beat hard, and I supposed that I had heart disease, as there were a great uiau}- dropping off with that trouble; but after I stopped smoking I never had any more trouble with my heart. Now I would ad\ise my friends to take warning and not smoke too manv cigars. Men with business on their miuds will smoke a great many more cigars than they are aware of, and oftentimes the}- feel the bad effects when it is too late. 174 CAPTAIN ben's book. The "Fannie G." and Her Good Work.— The water boat, "Fannie G.," of which I have before spoken, proved excellent for her purpose, and did much good service, some in saving property as well as affording considerable pleasiire to fishing parties. She was in pretty constant use, filling the light-house tanks at Half Way Rock and Seguin, serving warships in the harbor, and protecting the water front against fire. It might be tedious to give a detailed account of her work, but I will offer a specimen or two. February 6, 1890, she pumped sixteen and a half hours at the fire on Brown's Wharf, and at the same time saved the club- house on ]\Ierchants' Wharf; using the small number five Dean pump with which she had so often done val- uable service. In November of that same year she played on the Richardson Wharf fire, pumping two hours through two lines of hose M'ith one-inch nozzles of the new number eight Dean . pump, and rendering great aid. July 21, 1885, took a fishing party on the "Fannie G." We had luck and caught lots of good cod. July 2 2d took another party to Cod Ledge with the usual good luck. August 1 6th filled tank with water for one year's supply at Half ^^^ay Rock Light. July 17, 1887, again filled the Half Way Rock Light, and also the two warships, " Richmond " and "Yantic." August 6, 1888, again filled Half Way Rock Light. September 4th took out a fishing party, had fine luck, and got from five to six hundred pounds of fish. September loth carried a lot of voters from Cundy's Harbor to Harpswell and back. July 8, 1889, again filled the Half Way Rock 176 CAPTAIN ben's book. Light, and pumped salt water to Seguin Light-house through 600 feet of hose and 136 feet rise, on the west side of the island. September 17th filled the Seguin Light-house tank with salt water, to run the whistle, through 1,800 feet of hose, from the harbor, 136 feet rise. This was done with a number five Dean pump, small size. February 6, 1890, the " Fannie G." pumped sixteen and a half hours for the cit}', during the fire at Brown's Wharf, and at the same time saved the club-house at Alerchants' Wharf, with this same small number five Dean pump. June 28th pumped out the schooner "IMathew Ken- ney," at Cundy's Harbor, and towed her to Portland. During July and August filled with water the United States warships "Kearsarge," "Petrel," and "Baltimore." At this time we had just put in the new large number eight Dean fire pump. November 26th the "Fannie G." was called to the Richardson Wharf fire, and pumped two hours, through two lines of hose with one-inch nozzles of the new number eight, the Dean pump doing good service. June 24, 1891, pumped out the schooner "O. P. Lord," at Birch Island Ledge, and towed her back to Portland. June 30th pumped 10,000 gallons of fresh water and 20,000 gallons of salt water, through 3,300 feet of hose, with about 140 feet rise, into the tank of the Ottawa House, Cushing's Island. A number eight Dean pump was used. It was a great surprise to the boarders. August 24th pumped out the yacht " Viking," at Falmouth Foreside ; and also filled with water the United States warships "Chicago," "Atlanta," "York- town," "Boston," and "Concord." THE FANNIE G. AND HER GOOD WORK. 177 July 20, 1892, pumped out the schooner "A. H. Robinson," at Small Point, and towed her to Portland. September 27th pumjoed out the Grand Trunk Railroad pontoon. August 31, 1S93, pumped out the schooner "Julia Baker," at Cape Elizabeth. November i8th pumped out the Portland Bridge pontoon. December 12th pumped out the "P. J. Hession's" scow, at Cape Elizabeth. August 23, 1894, went to Richmond Island, pumped out the "A. M. Bearing," and towed her to Portland in conipau}- with the tug " Demerrest," Capt. George Alathews. December 17th pumped on the bark " \\ M. Hop- kins" some thirt3^-eight hours. December 29th pumped out the pontoon at the Ferr}^ Slip, Portland Pier. The PuRvSuit of the Sunfish. — In July, 1893, she went out with the following party for deep-sea fishing: F. D. Rogers, George Tha3'er, Capt. H. E. AVillard, Edward Keene, F. H. Little, H. A. Clay, and myself. We first went on the eastern part of Rock Cod Ledge, and not finding the cod-fish very plenty started for the western shoal. In steaming up, some of the party saw a black fin sticking up, and the boat was turned for it at once. It proved to be a large sun- fish. When near it I drove the harpoon at its head. The gristle in the head was so hard that the harpoon only entered about an inch, and as I put ni}- weight on the staff the iron shank bent up. I could not get the harpoon in an^- deeper. The fish sank when the line came taut, and the iron came out and we supposed that we should not see him again ; 1)ut to our surprise he SUNFISH, 6 FEET 5 INCHES LONG, 5 FEET DEEP; WEIGHT ABOUT 600 POUNDS. THE PUR.SUIT OF THE vSUNFISH. 1 79 came to the surface. We turned around and steamed for him once more. This time I struck him well aft and the iron went half-way through him. After that we captured him easily, though it took all hands to haul him on deck. The rest of the day was spent in cod-fishing, on the western shoal of Cod Ledge, and we caught all the cod that we wanted. On returning home we tied a rope to the sunfish and left him at the Forest City Landing, Peaks Island, so the boarders and visitors could see him. Several species of this odd-looking fish have been captured in British waters, and in almost every case the creature was swimming, or rather floating, in so lazy a fashion that it permitted itself to be taken with- out attempting to escape. In the seas where this fish is generally found, the harpoon is usually used for its capture; not so much on account of its strength, though a large specimen will sometimes struggle with amazing force and fur\', but on account of its great weight, which renders its conveyance into a boat a matter of some little difficulty. The flesh of the sunfish is white, well flavored, and in much request among sailors, who always luxu- riate in fresh meat after the monotony of salted pro- visions. In flavor and aspect it somewhat resembles the skate. Its liver is rather large and yields a large amount of oil, which is prized b}' the sailors as an infallible remedy for sprains, burns, bruises, and rheu- matic affections. One of its most curious peculiarities is the structure of the eyes, which are bedded in a mass of very soft and flexible folds belonging to the outer membranous coat, and resting behind on a sack filled with a gelatinous fluid. W'lien the creature is alarmed it draws the eye back against the sack of fluid. l8o CAPTAIN BEN'vS book. which is thus forced into the folds of skin. The}^ dis- tend so largely as nearly to conceal the entire organ behind them. When swimming quietly along and suffered to be undisturbed, it generall}^ remains so near the surface that its elevated dorsal fin projects above the water. Onl}- in warm, calm weather is it seen in this attitude. During a storm^^ season it remains near the bed of the sea, and contents itself with feeding on the sea-weeds which grow so luxuri- antl}' at the bottom of the shallower ocean waters. The color of the sunfish is grajnsh brown, darker upon the back than on the sides of the abdomen. The skin is hard and rough. The fish often attains a ver^^ great size. One that was harpooned on the equator meas- ured six feet in length. October 3, 1893, the following part}' went in the "Fannie G.": W. S. Eaton, F. D. Rogers, George Thayer, Joseph F. Fowler, F. H. Little, Mr. Haines, Air. Bright, Mr. Pike, Mr. A. G. Sawyer, and myself. We had good sport and got a fine lot of game. The same part}' were out on several fishing trips with me, and we always had good luck. The fresh lobsters on board were a big luxury and highl}' enjo^-ed by us all. CHAPTER XX. THE FIRST TOW-BOAT IN TORTLAND. CHANCED CONDITIONS OF OCEAN TRAFFIC. — THE ni.UE SHARK AND HIS PURSUIT. W LD GEESE SHOOTINO. A NOIAKI.E SWORD-FISH PARTY. IHK FrRST PRIZE IN NINE YEARS. — LAST DEEP-SEA-FISH INO TRIP FOR THE SEASON. 'HpHE first tow-boat owned in Portland was tlie "Tiger," bnilt in Philadelphia, for m^- brother William, in 1S51. She commenced towing in this har- bor in November of that 3'ear. The first month was a bns}' one for him. During that time he towed two ships out of the Kennebunk River, and one out of the Saco. As the Cuba trade was flourishing then, the towing business was quite brisk. He was often called to Yarmouth, Freeport, and Brunswick to tow ships from their launching ways to this cit}-, where the}- would complete their outfits for sea and sail for a Southern port to load cotton for the European market. Before the "Tiger" arrived here the vessels in want of a tow-boat had to send to Bath or Boston, and the "Tiger" received a welcome greeting by the ship- builders about Casco Bay. At that time there were some fifteen or twentv ship-3'ards between Capes Elizabeth and vSmall Point. When the "Tiger" was built there were ver}^ few pro- peller tow-boats. Side-wheel tow-boats did this work then at New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The}- are things of the past now, though a few are used for North River towing in shallow water. Times have changed. Not one ship is building from Cape Cod to BLUE SHARK. 1 83 Eastport. Three four-mast scliooners and a steamer are building in Bath for the coasting trade, but nothing for the foreign. As the manufacturing business increases so does the coasting trade. We have a large fleet of coasting vessels emplo3'ed principally in the ice, coal, phosphate rock, and hard pine trade. Steamers do all the general merchandise freighting. The towing busi- ness has increased so that four tow-boats and three water boats find emploj-ment in our harbor. Wooden ships have gone out of date. Steel and iron steamers of European nations are doing most of the foreign freighting business. Thej^ have been built b\^ subsidies; their government paying liberalh' what is called mail aid. In 1893 the five great Maritime Powers of Europe, England, France, Germany, Russia, and Ital}', paid :^i6,657,865 for the transportation of their mails by sea. This not onlj^ builds their mail ships, but at the same time the subsidized companies have large fleets of the so-called tramp steamers, or freight ships, running in connection with their mail ships. Several of these lines have eight}' to ninety steamers owned by each company. During the winter season, when the St. Lawrence River is closed by ice, the Allan and Dominion lines of steamers do a laree freighting business to FCngland and Scotland, taking freight from the Grand Trunk Railroad brought from all parts of Canada and the Western States. Blue Shark. — The blue shark, \vhich I have before mentioned, arc the most common here and are seen in very large numbers on our coast in the sum- mer. They are of a fine slaty-blue color on the back, and white on the belly, and are from three to fifteen feet long. They are the fishermen's most deadl}^ enemy, cutting their nets to pieces and devouring their 184 CAPTAIN BEn'vS book. fish. Eight or nine of these monsters have been taken in one day. In the foreground of the engraving on page 96 is introduced the skull of a large shark for the purpose of showing the terrible teeth with which it is armed, and which lie in several reserve rows ready to take the place of those which are broken or cast off when their work is done. From these teeth, which cut like broken glass, the natives of many savage lands make tools and weapons of war by fixing them into wooden handles. A friend of mine was once fishing after a large shark which was following the vessel. After a little time he succeeded in inducing him to take hold of the great hook which was fastened on the end of a large chain and nicely baited with a big, fat piece of pork of which these fish are very fond. Too sudden a jerk was given the hook, however, and it pulled through the cheek, which made a terrible cut and bled profusely. But the shark did not seem to mind that, for he kept right close up to the bait, which after a short time he finally' seized and was drawn on board. Shooting Wild Geese at High Pressure. — In the spring of 1894, about the last of March, wild geese were reported very plentiful in Casco Bay. I got Mr. John F. Randall and Mr. J. N. Martin and steamed down the bay in the " Fannie G." We saw plent}^ of them feeding on the mussel beds. The water being shoal we could not get near them. We found that some had alighted in the bay, and so got to the windward and steamed towards them. Thej^ flew out of the water a long distance ahead and we got one of them. A day or two later Mr. Randall, his son, and myself went down the bay and got three more. We found that our steam from high pressure frightened ^^,^r?ijmm Peaks Jsi^awo I88H. "-^^^"^"MU^ '■ - -' '"'^- l86 CAPTAIN BEn'vS book. tliem before we could get in shooting distance. Since that time I have put low pressure in the boat so to steam on to them without any noise. The First Sword-Fish in Nine YeaRvS. — August I, 1S94, I started for a deep-sea-fishing trip in the "Fannie G." with the following party: W. J. Spicer, general manager of the Grand Trunk Com- pany; W. A. Spicer, Charles Spicer, Errol Spicer, Herbert Spicer, all from Detroit; Doctor Allowa}^, of Montreal; Mr. Day, consul at Washington, D. C. ; Rev. James Hasty, of Cornwall, Ontario; Capt. B. F. Woodbur}^, William Taylor, J. F. Randall, Joseph F. Fowler, George Thaj^er, of the Maine Central, Capt. H. E. Willard, and F. H. Little. The party was prepared to catch anything from a whale to a mackerel. If you have never caught a sword-fish you do not know what fun and excitement are connected with the sport. The boat left the Grand Trunk Wharf at eight o'clock in the morning and proceeded to Peaks Island to get Captain Woodbury and friends. From there the^^ went to Cushing's Island to get Mr. Spicer and his compan}^ From Cushing's the steamer went over to Cape Cottage for a supply of fresh lobsters previously arranged for. We then put to sea. About an hour was spent in fishing for cod on Rock Cod Ledge. In that short time over sixty cod were caught, some of them weighing twelve pounds. But that was not what the party was after; and with visions of sword-fish still before their eyes, the fun of fishing for cod seemed extremely tame. Beyond the ledge for a distance of eighteen or twenty miles to sea the little steamer went. The day was all that could be asked for. The water was smooth and calm, and THE FIRST SWORD-FISH IN NINE YEARS. 1 87 the most sensitive ladies could have taken the trip so far as any danger from seasickness was concerned. Three hours after starting a shark was sighted. He was about seven feet long, and there was some desire to tr}^ to land him; but that desire was short-lived, for in a few moments a sword-fish was seen showing a back fin and tip of talk Then the excitement ran high. Everybody was alive to observe the movements of the fish and the preparations for his capture. The steamer had been fitted to steam noiselessly on to the fish with low pressure, and so the game was not fright- ened by a noisy approach of the vessel. Captain W. took a position in the pulpit that Captain Peterson had built on purpose and stood with harpoon in hand till an advantageous position was reached. Then swish through the air the harpoon went, striking the big fish and burying itself some fifteen inches in his flesh. Rapidly the line was paid out to the length of one hundred fathoms or more, and a half-barrel thrown overboard with the line attached. Mr. Randall invited ]\Ir. Fowler to sail on the half-barrel and watch the per- formance of the prisoner ; but that gentleman declined, and so Mr. Sword-fish was allowed to hustle all by himself. In fort}--fi\e minutes the fish was on board. When he came up to the boat he made a struggle to get awaj', but Captain W. sent a second harpoon into him and that settled his fate. Mr. Randall made good use of the gaff and Captain Peterson got a tail rope on to the fish and another line around him for a parbuckle to roll him on board. Mr. Spicer and others had a hand on the upper deck and shorti}' the big fish was rolled on board, much to the delight of everybody-. This was the first sword-fish that "Captain Ben^' had caught for nine vears ; and so the first thing to do 1 88 CAPTAIN ben's book. wlieii the capture was made and the excitement over was to ask Mr. Fowler to get the sarsaparilla so that he could take a good drink. Mr. Fowler suggested a pop cocktail, which used to be a favorite drink of the captain's; and then something stronger was offered, but the captain declined. Everybody partook of the hot coffee and steamed fresh lobsters, and the boat again got under way for another sword-fish. At 1.30, when heading for Boon Island, the outlook saw another sword-fish and Captain W. sent the harpoon after him. When the steamer came around it left the fish on the port side, and the chances of striking fair with the harpoon were much lessened. The steel struck the fish a few inches higher than was at first intended, striking against the back- bone so that when the line became taut the harpoon drew out and the fish drifted awa}- to die and be eaten b}^ the dogfish. Three hours more were spent in look- ing for fish, but with no good result. The boat got back at 5.45 p.m., all hands well pleased with the daj-'s sport. The fish caught was twelve feet long and weighed two hundred and fifty pounds. The sword was three feet long and the tail three feet wide. The one lost was about seventeen feet long with a large body. It might weigh about five hundred pounds. Last Trip of the Season. — August 17, 1894, I took my last deep-sea-fishing trip for the season with the following gentlemen: Mr. W. S. Eaton, F. D. Rogers, F. H. Little, B. F. Woodbury, George Thayer, K. D. Awtood, H. E. Willard,and William M. Leighton. The day was fine. We left Portland at eight o'clock in the morning. When near Portland Head we came to a fisherman and got all the fresh lobsters that we wished. Then we steamed for Rock Cod Ledge, stop- LAST TRIP OF THE SEASON. 189 ping there something over an hour. We got sixty nice cod-fish; Mr. Eaton catching the largest one, about thirteen pounds in weight. While there fishing a school of mackerel came up and we caught thirty. We then steamed eighteen or twenty miles to sea look- ing for sword-fish. We steamed some sixty-five miles in all, but saw none. They had probably left the coast. We arrived home about six o'clock in the evening, after having a fine sail and nice sport. CHAPTER XXI. TRANSIT BETWEEN THE CAPE AND PORTLAND. THE FAMOUS FERRY FIGHT. — -A STORMY TOWN-MEETING. THE DINNER THAT COST FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS A PLATE. CAPE ELIZABETH ELECTRICS. THE ISLAND TRAFFIC AND THE CASCO BAY STEAMBOAT COM- PANY. PORPOISES. n^HE ferry between Portland and Cape Elizabeth has given rise to both litigation and legislation, and is still a mnch discnssed topic. At my first coming from the Cape to Portland Captain Stanford ran a sail boat. I remember well the foresail — braided up. The boat was a large yawl and a safe one, and the captain a prudent man. He built a walk way from high water to low water, and could often be seen carrjdng a bucket of sand to sprinkle upon it to make the footing of his passengers surer. This yawl was succeeded b}" a double-end ferry- boat named the " Elizabeth." At the time there was considerable ship-building, a chain factory was run- ning, and a box mill in operation ; so that the number of passengers was considerable. I understand that the "Elizabeth" paid fair dividends until Portland Bridge became free. Then she ceased to be profitable and the enterprise died. The "Elizabeth" was succeeded, after a brief experience with sail boats, b}- another double= ender, the "Little Eastern," and she died, too, in a short time. Then still another double-ender, the " H. H. Day," was put on the ferry with sail boats running between times. After running for a while and failing to pay TRANSIT BETWEEN THE CAPE AND PORTLAND. 191 she was taken off. The town of Cape Elizabeth, I believe, helped to support her. On one of her trips from the Cape side on which I was a passenger, when half-way over to the cit}- — the wind being heav}' west northwest — the steam began to run down because of leaking tubes, putting the fire nearly out in the fire- box, and she went to leeward fast, toward the breakers near the Breakwater. The captain saw a coaster lying at anchor, made for her, with the intention of getting a line fast, having a man ready with a rope with an e3'e-splice in it. When we bumped up against the coaster he jumped on board and put the rope on the windlass bit. At the same time the captain of the schooner came on deck bare-headed. To say that he was mad would be to put it mildh'. He jumped down over the deck load to heave off the line, but there was too much strain on it. The captain of the double-ender partially pacified him by saying that he would keep the wheels going ahead. The coaster had both anchors ahead by this time. If the chains had parted both vessels would have gone ashore in the breakers, and I do not know what would have become of us, as there was no life-saving crew stationed on the Cape at that time, I had supposed the double-ender had anchors, but saw none, and no preparations were made to get an}- either. After another siege with sail boats, steam was again brought into requisition. Randall & IMcAllister bought the steamer "Josephine Hoev" to run as a ferry-boat and I unfortunately became a quarter owner. While she was running there came a northeast snow- storm and washed away the lauding at the Cape. About six o'clock in the evening the ladies and gentle- men came down to go across as usual. I told them 192 CAPTAIN ben's book. there was no landing and we could not run the boat, but I would take them to their destination safel}-, though it would have to be an overland trip. The company furnished hacks and took them over free of charge. I remember the night well, as I sat on the box with the driver, holding a lantern that we might find the way. We made two trips. When the last man got out of the hack he thought he ought to have ten cents for a drink, the drive had made him so dry. Some time later the steamer "Mary W. Libby" was built to run in the winter and used in the summer for pleasure parties. The Ferry Fight. — In the winter of 1885 what is known as "the ferr}^ fight" — into the particulars of which I need not go — began, and vad.ny of us were called before the committee of interior waters to testify. During the hearing m}^ friend Air. D stated that the "Josephine Hoey" was a "thin skin" boat, and he did not think she was safe to carry passengers across Fore River. Had he known her history he might have thought otherwise. The boat was brought here from New York by my brother Charles and R. W. Richer, engineer, one storni}^ January. In rounding Cape Cod, between Chatham and Noset, she ran into a northeast snow-storm, blowing up a strong gale. In this blind- ing storm the boat made her wa}- round the highland of the Cape, b}^ Peaked Hill Bar and Race Point, found her way into Provincetown Harbor by use of the sounding lead, and anchored there about six o'clock in the morning. Some fishermen came down to the wharf and asked where she was from and of, and my brother told them from New York. " Did 3'ou come round the Cape last night? " they queried with astonishment. On his affirmative reply they informed him that two THE FERRY FIGHT. 1 93 wrecks went ashore back of the highland and one on Peaked Hill Bar that night. That shows what a "thin skin" boat can do. At the March meeting at the town-house, Cape Elizabeth, I invited my friend, C. W. T. Coding, to ride over with me to look on. Being a tax payer in that town, I supposed I had a right to go there, not to vote but to look on. P'rom the time we arrived until we left we both were grossly insulted. I began to think we were among the "Alafias" of New Orleans. I had been a voter in Ward Two, Portland, for several 3'ears and had seen some rough times election days; but the election at Cape Elizabeth that year was far ahead of anything I ever saw. In the hands of Air. Nutter was a document from our company to be read to the meeting. It was not allowed to be read. Had it been read and accepted the town would have been in pocket to-day $25,000, or the war debt might have been reduced that much. I am sorry to learn that the war debt still stands on the town books. Later on our company received notice from the selectmen of the town to vacate the old landing in thirty da3'S. We secured a temporary landing on the east side of Merchants' Marine Railway Wharf. I called on my friends to lease or buv a landing; but none was to be had. Later on our company found that Mr. Ralph Butler, of Boston, owned the flats at the east of Railway Wharf and we leased them of him for a term of years. Our company called on the harbor commissioners to lay out and build a wharf into tide water. To run our wharf straight it was found neces- sary to take a few feet on ]\Ir. \\'illiam Spear's prop- erty. Mr. Curtis and m3'self called on Mr. Spear to 194 CAPTAIN BEN'vS book. purchase a few feet of the flats ; but he was very high in his figures so the company decided to put a bend in the wharf, in order to go around his land and save liti- gation. Then the wharf was extended into the water, giving seventy-five feet dockage between our wharf and Merchants' Marine Wharf. The wharf and ferry- house were built and the mud dredged out. We had a good, safe landing. June 4th of that year the double- end ferry-boat "Cornelia H." arrived from Bath and soon went on the route. She was a large and safe boat, but too good for the route. If Uncle Sam had known her butting qualities he would have given a large price for her to send out to Hayti instead of his gunboats, as she could have butted it all down in two hours. This ferry-boat ran about eight years. Then it changed hands and the new company built and put on the route the "Elizabeth City," now running. There was lots of fun in the ferry fight, but no dividends. I am glad to state the noted ten-year ferry fight came to a close April i, 1895, by the Portland and Cape Elizabeth Ferry Company selling its franchise and ferry property to the People's Ferr}^ Compan3^ During the fight the Portland and Cape Elizabeth and People's Ferry Companies have taken out of their pockets about $130,000. This has been a very large elephant — much larger than Jumbo. Probably in the future one company will run the business. The BrooMvSTick Train. I understand there is a companj^ formed and about to get a charter to run an electric railroad through Cape Elizabeth by going over Portland Bridge, through Knightville, South Port- land, Willard, and then over the shore road to the THK ISLAND STEAMERS. 195 Cape Lights. I think this is a move in the right direction. In two or three ^^ears it will bnild up the place and improve all property more than all the double-end ferry-boats have ever done from the days of the "Elizabeth" to those of the "Elizabeth City." If this road had been built after the big fire in Portland, in 1866, the Cape to-day would have a ma3'or as well as Deering. I wish to see the Cape built up. A Five-Hundred-Dollar Dinner. — One day Mr. C. A. Tilton called at my office on Commercial Street to get subscribers for stock in the plush mill at South Portland. Though he fought us hard in the ferry fight we had no hard feelings towards him, but talked and laughed over the matter. Mr. John Curtis took five shares and I five. I don't consider it M^as all lost, as I got more out of it than some of m^^ friends, and that was a good supper at the mill, which only cost $500 a plate. The Island Steamers. — I wish to say a few words about the island steamers, a subject which inter- ests all Portlanders. January 9, 1878, I bought into the Peaks Island Steamboat Company iift}' shares. At this time Mr. F. H. Morse was President and George Trefethen, Treasurer. There were two steam- ers on the line, the "Express" and the "Gazelle." After a time the compau}^ became the Forest City Steamboat Company. The steamer "Gazelle" was lengthened and rebuilt, and her name changed to the " Forest City." Some time later Capt. Howard Knowlton built the little steamer " Minnehaha," which afterwards was taken into the conipau}' and Captain Knowlton made general manager. Then the Union 196 CAPTAIN ben's book. Steamboat Company was started as an opposition line to tlie Forest Cit}^ Company. Their first boat was the " Emita," and their second, the " Cadet." Some time later the Union line changed to the Star Line Steam- boat Company. At this time I was general manager for the Forest City Company. The Star line, after running two or three years, consolidated with the Forest City Company. The name was changed to the Casco Bay Steamboat Company and Mr. C. W. T. Coding elected general manager. July, 1887, the company put on a new steamer, called the " Forest Queen." She is a large, safe boat and is run the year round. The steamers " Minne- haha" and ''Express" were sold. January, 1884, the large skating rink and the pavilioa were built at Peaks Island. A large gasoline plant was put into the rink, and later it was lighted by electricity and furnished power and light for all the amusement buildings and wharves. The Casco Bay Steamboat Company has done as much or more than any company in advertising Casco Bay as a summer resort by running amusements and getting up novel attractions such as marine carni- vals, marine explosions, balloon ascensions, and walk- ing on the waves. These attractions bring thousands of people to the islands and make it interesting for the boarders at the different hotels ; so much so that the demand is considerably in excess of the accommodation. The company have done good service by running boats often and at low rates and have built up the island largely in the last few years. In the summer of 1894 the steamer "Jeanette" was put on the route as an opposition boat and run for five cents fare b}^ parties interested in the ferry fight. ^^ -•si .L^^^ CAPT. B. J. WILLARD TRAP SHOOTING. JUNE, 1895. 198 CAPTAIN ben's book. Porpoises. — Upon the opposite page is a picture of a shoal of porpoises, — a fine sight often seen in mild weather along our coast from Florida to New- foundland, and near the northern edge of the Gulf Stream, where the warm water at a temperature of from 72 to 78 suddenly changes in going one or two miles down to 67 or 57 degrees. Here in this cool water for miles the water appears to be alive with porpoises, as seen in the picture. The meat of the porpoise is not very palatable, though the liver fried in pork fat is a verj^ dainty dish, especially after living on salt beef for some time. So the capture of a por- poise puts a broad grin on an old sailor's countenance, as he is then sure of a dainty morsel. A shoal of porpoises moves in a military order excepting when frightened. The}^ swim from five to ten miles an hour ; springing out of the water in a crescent shape, their tails seldom leaving the water. They are a fine sight from a vessel's mast-head as the}^ skim along just under water. Old sailors call them puffing pigs. Their puffing is as loud as a man's voice and is verj^ inter- esting to any one not used to hearing or seeing them, as large shoals of them make a continual puff, puff, as though run b}' machiner}-. At this point, in my sixty-seventh j^ear, I bring these recollections of a busy and somewhat adventur- ous life to a close, hoping that the reader may find as much entertainment in taking them up as I have found in setting them down ; for it has been a pleasure to me to recall the happenings — some of them stirring, and none without interest — of the years covered by this volume ; and I am persuaded that the pleasure will be 200 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. shared by many an old friend and neighbor and many an acquaintance. It may be, too, that strangers who live far from the sea will find in this plain story of life on the Atlantic coast, and of adventure on an element with which they are unfamiliar, something to strike their fancy or appeal to their sympathies. So in conclusion I say " good-by," — two words which mean, scholars tell us, " God be with you." ADDENDUM ^pHE family of Willard of Eastbourne, Sussex, Eng- land, surnamed \'illard and originating from Caen, Normandy, has been seated in Sussex since the time of Edward III. A 3'ounger branch settled later in the southwesterly part of Kent, within a few miles of the borders of Sussex, and held an estate in the Hundred of Branchley and Horsmonden. There lived and died (in 1617) Richard Willard, father of Capt. Simon Willard, the colonist, who came over from Horsmonden to Boston in 1634 with wife and children. He settled at Cambridge, ]\Iass., and is known to have been pos- sessed of ample means. He was later one of the founders of Concord and was for thirt3'-five years a member of the General Court of the Colony. He made use of the arms gi\'en on the cover, which is copied from the American Heraldic Historical Rooms. HoRvSMOXDKX. — In the southwesterly part of Kent, within a few miles of the borders of Sussex, in the Hundred of Branchley and Horsmonden, in the lath of Aylesford, lies the quiet and retired parish of Hors- monden. It is forty miles southeast from London, in a rural, agricultural district, situate on no great thoroughfare and possessing no factitious or local advantages for progress in population and wealth. As villages of this class alter but little from century to century in our mother-land, a description of the present appearance of Horsmonden will probably give a pretty correct idea of its aspect at the beginning of the seven- *«r-!fo '^ HORSMONDEN. > 203 teenth century. A descendant of Simon Willard in the seventh generation visited the ancestral home in the summer of 1850. He may be the first of all the descendants after the second generation who has enjoyed this privilege. Indeed, we maj^ be reasonably well assured of the fact when we state that the partic- ular parish in Kent, the birth-place of Simon Willard, has long ago passed from the memor\- of his American descendants through some unaccountable negligence, and the genealog}' was onl\^ retraced as lateU' as the year 1S45 after industrious and persevering inquir}-. From the interesting sketch of Horsmonden, which this gentleman has given, I make the following ex- tracts, copied from the Willard Memoir bj- Joseph Willard, Esq. : "The church is two miles distant from the village and quite on one side of the parish. It is a venerable and rather neat Gothic edifice of stone. Its age is not knowu, but the rector supposes from the stj-le of archi- tecture that it is about five hundred 3'ears old. It is with certaint}^ the church in which young Simon Wil- lard was baptized, and it was with much interest that I read in the parchment register of that church, in old English characters, the record of his baptism. Just at the entrance, in the floor of the principal aisle, is a tablet to the dead bearing the date of 1587; and over that stone Simon was, doubtless, borne to his baptisui. " Near the church is a most magnificent oak tree, of which the men of Horsmonden are justly proud. The trunk is thirt^• feet in circumference at the roots and retains a circumference of nearly twenty feet almost to the branches. I was told at the rectory that it is known to be at least tliree hundred 3-ears old, and how much older is not known. Our ancestor in his 204 CAPTAIN ben's BOOK. boyhood doubtless looked upon it often and probably sat under its shade. Simon Willard, the subject of this sketch, was born at Horsmonden, probably in the early part of the year of 1605, and was baptized in the church at that place April 5, 1605. The record of his baptismal consecration, as recorded in the parish reg- ister and on a preceding page, runs thus wise : "A. D. 1605. Anno E. R. Jacubi. "The vijth day of April Simon Willard come of Richard Willard was christened. " Edward Ai.chine, Rector. " Major Simon Willard died in Charlestown, Mass., April 24, 1676, in the seventy-second year of his age. The father, Richard Willard, died in Februar}^, 1616. He had ten children, seven of whom survived him. His third wife died on the 25th of February of the same year." n