Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-10-23


The boat Centennial arrived at Liver
pool Aug. 2lst, alter voyage across the
Atlantic. She was sailed by man nam-
ed Alfred johnson. Dane, and left Glou-
cesler, Mass , on June Is. johnson Is in
good health, but suffers from want of sleep
and his legs are stiff and weak, owing to
the confinement of the voyage. He is q
smart. intelligent man of about 35. On
arriving at New Brighton he was cheered
bv the passengers on ferry boat. He
did not land at the landing stage, where a
lumber OF people bad ssembled to meet
him. but sailed up the river and was ulti-
mately met by the proprietor of the Rock
Ferry Hotel, with whom he arranged to
exhibit his boat in the grounds. The Gen.
tennia is a boat of the kind known in
America as dory. She is twenty feet
long, partially fiat bottomed, and has a
centre board. She is decked over, is built
in three water-tight compartments. and
was supplied with provisions tor ninety
days. She was built expressly for the
trip. and is of pine, extra timbered
with oak. She carried one mast,
and can set mainsail two jibs and
square-sail. johnson left Gouces
cester on the 18th of June, the people
cheering him heartily as he sailed away.
The weather was fine at first, but it after
wards changed to fogs and head winds,
lasted until the 22d. when he put into
shake Harbor his compass being affected
by his iron ballast. He started again on
the 25lh, and had a fine passage and fair
winds until the 9TH of Jnly, when in lati-
tude Al deg so min. north. longitude $40
h.,,, ral f.a. tt...
spang up, during which the boat shipped
heavy sea, which started the combing of
the hatchway, 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 90 on board, saying he would
not say anything about it, but would drop
him off Cape Clear and not mention any
thing about ii, but Johnsen defined. The
gale passed away, and he had fine weather
until the 10th of July. when strong
breeze came from the southwest, and
he made good run until the I'd of Au-
gust, on which day, being then about 800
miles from Cape Clear. he spoke the brig
Maggie Gander, from New York to Swan
sea. After running for couple of hours
with the brig, which shortened sail in orr
der to keep company, johnson hove his
boat to in order to ride out the gale, which
had greatly increased. He unshipped the
mast for this purpose. About half an hour
after being hove to the boat got broadsde
on TO heavy sea and capsized, but John
sen got on the bottom and
remained there about twenty min
utes, when another sea struck her and he
succeeded in rightiDg her. This was about
8 O'Clock in the afternoon. just after get
ting into the boat again he saw a shark
alongside, and its fins struck against the
bottom OF the boat. He fastened knife
to an oar and cut at the shark, which then
went away. The boat was half full of
water, but he pumped it out aud weather.
ed The gale, which lasted until next day.
Everything was wetted, and he lost
his Kerosene stove and bis square sail by
the upset The weather continued rainy
and ioggv for four days, during which
time he could not dry anything.
On Monday, August Z, ABOUT 100 miles
off Cape Cl' ar, he spoke the brig Alfre-
don, from Liverpool to Baltimore, and got
some bread and water, his own bread hav-
ing been damaged by the salt water.
Next day he got soundings to the south of
Cape Clear, but it was toggy and he could
not see land. On the 9th he spoke the
ship Prince Lombardo, which gave him
the bearings OF Wexford Head as fifty
three miles east by north On the 10Th
he sighted Milford. but the wind became
contrary, and he put Into Abercastle. He
sailed again on the 12lh, and reached Hol-
lyhead last Friday. and Liverpool yester-
day morning. johnson estimates that his
average run during the voyage was seven
ty miles day He was provided with
medicines before starting When asked
yesterday if he would care to repeat the
voyage, johnson rep lied that he had
about enough of it."