River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-08-16
Across the Ocean in an Open boat.

Correspondence Of the London Daily News.
| was startled this morning, July 22d,
just at the commencement u. church, 10
hear that the boat which left America for
England with only a man and woman
on board had arrived at Penzancc. On
glancing along the promenade | saw
right away under the Newlyn a little
boat with two masts lying Mt anchor,
whilst surrounding her were cluster OF
Newlyn boats, filed with spectators who
had come to see the wonderful little craft.
1t is called the New Bedford, after the
town of New Bedford, Mass, from which
she halls. The New Bedford is a boat of
about ten feet long, and of the registered
tonnage OF ICE, little over a ton and
half. She carries two masts, one anchor,
and drogue. She is built of cedar and
is rugged as "a leg-of- mutton rugged
schooner The name Of the owner is
Capt. Thomas Grape, aged IS, who, with
his wife, has so bravely crossed the At
lantic in such tiny craft. The voy9ge
was commenced on May %, when the yes
sci left New Bedford, but by stress of
weather she had TO put mp into Chatham,
Mass, where she stayed until the 2d of
June, when the sails were again ho;sted,
and the little pigmy left on her perilous
voyage with fair wind. All went well
for three days, the wind being southwest,
and the sea calm. The wind then
changed to southeast, and it come on fog
gy for four days, and continued foggy up
to the time when they reached the Grand
Banks, seventeen DAYS out. Here most for
tunate thing happened for the navigators.
The drogue which they had brought with
them was found to be of little use, be-
cause it was too light. Whilst off the
Banks they saw key floating, which
luckily they were able to secure.
Capt Grape knocked off the iron hoops
and with some canvas made new dro-
que, which answered admirably. When
it is considered that at one part of the
voyage they were obliged to lie for nearly
three days in great gale of wind, it will
need no effort to imagine what FORUM
ate acquisition the new droguc was. After
leaving the Banks, where they lay to in
gale for fifteen hours, the weather i'm
proved, and they sailed on till the 2lst of
June, when another gale was encountered.
Whilst lying to, the New Bedford spoke
the steamer Batavia, from which assist
ance was offered, and the offer was made
to take them on board, which was pluck
ily declined. After this incident they
encountered a succession of gales, the only
wonder being that they survived TO tell
the story. During the voyage, which oc-
cupied forty-nine days, the rudder broke
but happily there was spare oar on
board. which was used until the first could
be repaired The seas were running
mountains high, and during all that time
even when lying down to rest. they had
TO lie on wet clothes everything being
wet on board. On one occasion the cap
tain was for seventy hours steering with
out relief the weather being so frightful:
and on another he was eighteen hours
consecutivelv attending to The drogue.
Capt. Grape says he could not have stood
another fifteen DAYS; indeed, he had not
slept for seventy hours when he landed.
His average of sleep whilst coming across
was under four hours day. Among the
many extraordinary things connected
with the voyage is that it had TO be run
by dead reckoning, as the New Bedford
was not equal to ehronometeT. Only on
two occasions could they get their longi- !
tude. When speaking the two vessels,
Capt. Crapo had Intended to make for
Falmouth; but the wind was against it.
Capt. and Mrs. Grape seemed wonderfully
we'll after the hardships they had under
gone, though the captain had bad hand
and when lac came on shore his other /
hand was firmly clenched after seventy |
hours steering. The house they stopped |
at was invaded by persons eager to shake /
hands with so brave couple. The boat |
was also visited bynumbers. Capt. Crapo /
thinks of going on to Falmouth, and af- |
terward TO London and the Paris exhibit
ton.