The Portland daily press., 1868-06-13
YACHT LAUREL,

YACHT LAUREL,
SMALL POINT HARBoR, June IL, 1868. I
To the Editor Of the Press:
You should see us this morning. Do you
remember how Micawber, after he had decid-
ed to go to Australia, put on bold and swag-
gering air and carried tin dipper in his
pocket in order to get accustomed to roughing
it? You should see the nautical gait which
we counterfeit after yesterdays experience,
the knowing way in which we look at the
clouds, and the comical manner in which we
keep our hands half closed as Capt. Marryatt
says the genuine seadog always does. have
been chewing tobacco little but don't like it.
Small Point harbor is to leeward of Booth
bay or was last night when the wind was east
terly and right in our teeth The Laurel is
the only yacht here, which circumstance will
account for the fact that instead of recording
the movements of the squadron am compell-
| ed simply to describe the cruise of the Laurel.
| This ancient and staunch as ancient craft was
| designated by the commodore yesterday on ac-
count of her sailing qualities, to start first, and
passed the flagboat off Custom House wharE
at II O'Clock precisely. She was passed off
Fort Gorges by the Ella, Capt. Delano, but by
the midst of surrounding calm, recovered
her lead off Birthstone ledge, four miles from
| Portland and kept it for the next three miles
| to Chebeague narrows, where the Clarence
Capt Jones, Whisper, Capt. Thomas, and one,
or two other boats by some fatal facility of
modern naval architecture got ahead.
At about2 o'clock the whole feet was in
sight and becalmed in the vicinity of Eagle
island. Little puffs of wind at intervals help
ed one or another vessel along, and several
hours were spen. in working by Little Mark ISL
and, the feet meanwhile becoming widely scat
| tered. AT about o'clock Capt Goddard who is
| good Judge of course,and ofcourses took advan
tage of light puff Of air and passed between
Joquish and Baileys islands in Harpswell. At
that time the rest of the fleet were standing
out at sea apparently to get an offing so as to
run for Kennebec entrance, but the wind again
subsidized and when last seen, they were still
far out We got an easterly breeze again at
| half past 6, gradually freshening, and began to
beat up to this harbor, making the 8 miles in
about hours. An exhiler ating rain was fall
ing during the eutire period occupied by this
| maneuvre. 1t continued to fall during the
| night, and this morning it rains, but we are
| comfortably housed with Mr.. Lowell of the
"Bath House" and intend to wait here for
| fair weather, if it takes all summer.
| The last that was seen of our consorts they
were pretty well out, but just at dark as we
| passed Wood island, signals were sent up from
the neighborhood of Bald Head, and some
fishermen have Just reported that the feet lay
at anchor there during the night In that
case they have clear start of us this morning
| unless the Judge removes his injunction
against sailing in the rain. SEBATTIs.
dispatches from Bootbay announce that
the Ella and Whisper reached Fort Popham
sometime during the night; the Nette and
| Sparkle arrived at Boothbay at 4 o'clock yes
| terday morning; the Spy, Ray, Clarence and
Kate, lay at Bald Head, and arrived at Boot
bay at 2 O'Clock yesterday afternoon. The
whole feet, except the Laurel, then sailed for
Bath where they arrived last night-ED1