The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-09-14
A MODERN NAVIGATOR.
Remarkable Voyage OF the Dory Gem
tennini Across the Atlantic.

HemnrHnDio voyage OF the bory teh-
tenniai Across the Atlantic.
The boat Centennial arrived at Liver
pool August Il after voyage across the
Atlantic. She was sailed by man
named Alfred johnson, Dane, and left
Gloucester, Mass. on June 18, john
sen is in good health, but suffers from
want OF sleep, and his legs were stiff and
weak, owing to the confinement of the
voyage. He is smart, intelligent man
of about thirty-ave. On arriving at
Now Brighton he was cheered by the
passengers on q ferryboat. BE did not
land Mt thelanding stage, where num-
bcr OF people had assembled to meet
him, but sailed up the river, and was
ultimately met by the proprietor OF the
Rock Ferry Hotel, with whom he
arranged to exhibit his boat in the
grounds. The Centennial was accord
ingly taken up, and will be shown to the
public. The Centennial il a boat of the
kind known in America as dory. She
is twenty feet long, partially flat bot
toned, and has a center board. She is
declzed over, is bnilt in three water-tight
compartments, and was supplied with
provisions for ninety days. She was
built expressly for the trip, and is of
pine, extra timbered with oak. She
carried one mast, and can set q mainsail,
two jibs, and squaresail.
johnson left Gloucester on the
eighteenth of June, the people cheer
ing him as he sailed away. The weather
was fine at first, but it atterward changed
to fogs and head winds, which lasted
until the twenty second, when he put
into Shake harbor, his compass being
affected by his iron ballast. He started
again on the twenty fifth, and had fine
passage and fair winds until the seventh
of July, when in latitude 41.50 north,
longitude fifty-four west, heavy gale
from the southwest sprung up, during
which the boat shipped heavy sea,
which started the combing of the hatch
way, and the water got in and spoiled
some of the provisions. At this time he
spoke bark bound from Mexico to
Liverpool, and the captain invited John
sen to go on board, saying he would
drop him off Cape Clear, and not mon
tion anything about it but johnson
declined.
The gale passed away, and he had
fine weather until the sixteenth of July,
when a strong breeze came from the
southwest, and he made good run
until the second of August, on which
day, being then about 800 miles from
Cape Clear, he spoke the brig Maggie
Gander, from New York to Swansea
After running for couple of hours with
the brig, which shortened sail to keer
company, johnson hove his boat to il
order to ride out Of the gale, which hat
greatly increased. He unsbipped the
mast for this purpose. About half al
hour after being hove to, the boat go
hroadside on to heavy sea and cap
and remained there about twent,
minutes, when another sea struck hel
! and he succeeded in righting her. Thi
: Was about three 0 clock in the afternoon
just after getting into the boat again
he saw shark alongside, and its fin
struck against the bottom of the boat
He fastened knife to an oar and cut a
, the shark, which then went away. Ih
boat was half full of water. but h
J pumped it out and weathered the gale
which lasted till next day. Everything
was wetted, and he lost his kerosen
stove and his squaresail by the upset
Tho --eatlaer continual rniny and fngC
: for four days, during which time Ii
couldnot dry anything.
On Monday, August;7, about 100 mile
off Cape Clear, he spoke the brig Alfre
don, from Liverpool to Baltimore, an
got some bread and water, his own brea
! having been damaged by the salt water
I Next day he got soundings to the sout
4 Of Cape Clear, but it was foggy and b
/ could not see land. On the ninth, b
t spoke the ship Prince Lombardo, whic
= gave him the bearings of Wexford Hea
y as fifty three miles east by north. o
e the tenth he sighted Milford, but th
! wind being contrary, he cid not put int
0 Abercastle. he sailed again on th
g twelfth, and reached Liverpool on til
= twenty first, johnson estimates that h
5 ave, age run during the voyage WI
IS seventy miles day. He was provide
e with medicines before starting. Whe
/ asked if we would care to repeat tt
g voyage, johnson replied that
i "thought he had had about enough
J. it,"