Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-02-13
loraI anD State Menus.
Locals Of the 0lden Time,

Locals Of the 0lden Time.
One of our old citizens recently received
friendly letter from the venerable editor Of the
Piseataquis Observer, Geo. V. Edes, Esq, of
Dover, who was once a resident of Augusta
hut who has not visited the city since 1928
We give the following extract from bis letter,
narrating events which must not only be Of
interest to our old readers. bat to the present
generation as well
received letter from you la-t week maxi
ing certain inquiries respecting the scenes of
by-gone days in which ] participated more
than fifty years ago, and believe that YOU
we're one Of the number. You esk me in yours
respecting boat that was beautifully rugged,
ana hauled about the streets of Augusta ut
the time OF the declaration Of peace in Febru-
AIRY, !sl5-this boat as YOU observe was COM
mand' d by Capt. Samuel Gill, and myself
as gunner, William Burton (brother to
Josepl) as boatswain, and one Williamson rs
steward, and one or two others, whose names
have forgotten, as they have long since de-
ceased. "a little more powder, George" was
exclaimed by Capt. Gill, at every cerner of
the streets that we passed. The powder was
furnished by the merchants of Augusta
among whom were Peter +. Vosc. whose
store was on one end of the old Hamlen Tav-
ern, 'kennebis" with an Indian painted on
The sign, and an elegant one too, which was
painted in New York OF Boston as | have
heard Thomas Hamlen say The Nasons also
furnished us powder; and all the stores
plenty of the "crittcr' to drink then all
classes Woutd drtnh-but not SO now.) We
perambulated every street in Augusta; went
up a. far as old John {Black) Jones as they
called him--he being tory of the Revolu-
tion-from there back up by the Tappan
Meeting House, down round the square by
Capt. Cages mansion to the brick stores
built by Nhitwell and the Nasons-fiIing at
every corner of the str2et, We kept it up till
sunduwn, and it was glorio1a gala day with
all classes-especially with the merchant
there were then but few-P. II. Vose, G.
w. Ciild-Nasons-T. w. Smith and one or
two more up above Bonds Brook L.
Nose l believe. In the evening | believe the
merchants had a supper at Hamlen's or the
day atter-forgotten which, and thus ended
the day.
The next inquiry you make is whether |
was not on board of the sloop Kolla, Capt.
John Is. Soule, master, which sailed from
Augusta, bound to the West Indies. | answer
that l was. She was loaded with corn, pota-
toes and other vegetables, and 500 live poul-
try on her quarter deck, with coops made on
purpose to contain them. We experienced IL
'fiy seNtIe Bafc OH the ti1lfu utN out from
Bath, and at about 10 O'Clock A. NJ, We had
the misfortune to be upset almost bottom up
wards. We remained in this situation about
half an hour-I was washed into the sea, and
back again, and grabbed the taffil rail and
held on until the vessel righted Old BiU
Howard was Capt. Soule's mate, Williamson,
from Mercer, and AbSha Soue were common
hands with myself. We took turns cooking,
and Twas in the act of putting a crust to a
pot pie when the vessel went over, We were
nine days and eight nights on the wreck
nothing TO eat but three slices of raw pork
day among five of us We dashed barrel OF
pork at our eatheads 1--WE lost all our crackers
the first night OUT and barrel of water, of
which We allowanced ourselves by sucking
through goose quilts three times day, which
we saved from geese which foated back on
the vessel. dead, after she righted. We were
taken OFT the wreck by a ship from Gibraltar,
commanded by Capt. VIM. Newcomb, who
had been out 81 days, blowing gale as he
said, all the time, even until within two or
three days before we were taken off and car
ried TO New York. From there | begged my
way along till / arrived at Bath Me.-froEl
there proceeded to Bangor, where my uncle,
Peter Edes, then lived, and who published
The first paper printed there, called The B,to-
gor Weekly Register, when l concluded to
give up the ''sea- going voyages" and stick to
the printing business, which have ever since
followed.