The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-03-22
Sixty Days in a Dory.
From the New York Herald 2lst

From the New ork Herald, 2lst
The National Line steamer Greece, which ar
} rived in this port Yesterday, brought with hel
on this trip two objects of no slight interest tC
New lorkerS. These We're the Qory Centen
mai. i'll which Captain Alfred johnson crosse
the Atlantic alone last summer, and the captain
himself, who made the unprecedented voyage
as Centennial achievement superior to any
thlng in its way ever heretofore accomplished
Bre1 notices OF this venture have from time to
time found their way into the papers, but the
whole story of the voyage was given yesterday
Dy captain .'ohnsen TO the representative of the
lterald. The Centennial landed at Abercastle
Pembroke County, Wales on the 2lst of Atl-
gust, 1876 and proceeding to Liverpool. Captain
Johnsen had his boat exhibited at different
times since then until his return on the Greece
me boat and her daring navigator look well,
and are apparently nothing the worse for their
experiences. The sturdy-ooking little Centen-
NAL was an interesting spectacle as it rested on
the deck OF the fine, roomy ocean steamer, and
suggested amusing contrasts as one thought OF
both mounting the same waves and blowing the
same seas IN transatlantic voyage. The dory
Is scarcely half the size of one of the Greece's
llfe-boats, and is not even as strongly built as
they are, yet the average sailor would think
hardly OF ofhaVlng to put in Il week on board one
OF them IN mldocean even in the tairest wealth
er. johnson voyage lasted siNty-slX days, and
he.had no room in which to stow himself but
the cockpit, which is only four feet long and
about two feet wide. His return trip was
made as agreeable as possible by the officers of
| the steamer, who, for his entertainment, as
well as for the benefit Of the other passengers
enliVened the trip from London thither with
| many OF the merry devices known to men of
the sea-. Doubtless they felt they were only
paying merlted attention to the man who was
the personlhctton of Giberts Bah Ballad
/ sailor man:
For he was the cook and the captain bold
And the mate of the "dory" brig,
ana the DO swain tight and the midship mite
And the crew o. the captains gig.
johnson is the only transatlantic sailor who
ever crossed alone. He did not have to fling
any belaying-pns at dsobedient sailors.
The little vessel in which Captain johnson
| embarked is of The following dimensions
| Ihree-quarters OF Il ton measurement; total
/ weight go pounds; length Of keel, lG feet
width of beam, ) - feet; depth, . 1-2 feet
1 She is clinker built, of white pine, extra TIM
| bered with oak, partially tlat-bottomed and has
Il center-board. The Centennial is built in
three Water-tlght compartments and is ,ecked
| over, leaving only the narrow cockpit open.
On the trip she carried q mainsail, Il squaresail
and two llbs. The little vessel was built en-
pressly for the trip ut Gloucester, Massachu-
sets, under Captain )ohnsen's supervision.
Captain johnson Is Il man of middle height.
pretty thick build, Of Intelligent appearance, is
a native of Denmark, and is now about thirty
one years Old. He talks freely of his desperate
venture, and il naturally somewhat c!&totl at
his success.
Iof sonic tlihe captain JohilSeh anu some
other men OF the sea OF his acquaintance talked
up this undertaking before it took definite
shape. This was when johnson worked in
the fisheries off Nova Scotia. Finally he con
cluded 10 have the dory built, and when She
was finished he went TO the Mavor of CIonras-
ter and stated the object of bis min Up Mad
furnished the little craft with canned meatx
salt and fresh vegetables, tea, coffee and tobac
co for voyage of ninety days. TN the l1th of
June the Mayor gave lohnsen the following
aro whom il may co,oar,,
"This il TO ccrtifv that Mr. Alfred Iol,nsa, bs ia
carea his intention of crossing the Atlantic in =
dory, and that he will leave this port tomorrow
JtNE' - lS'"' ALLEN ROGERS, Mayor
.Iohnscn did not start. however. until JIIn,.
10Th. His provisions We're slowed under thn
matches at the start hut there i, Il little p9ntrv
behind the cockpit in which a stove for Il feW
days could be keJt When the weather was
fine lie would crecp forward on MI t,,,Irs onen
the hatches take out enough provisions for ),
few duys and stow them away in tie pantry.
Iron was hig ballast when he started, Bit find.
ing that it intertrred with the workinp of his
compass he put into Shake Ha, Dor. \oya Sea-
tia, DISCHARGED this ballast and took on gravel
instead By this change he lost somt, liItl2
time His only instruments were a oIlo,Iyaut
a compass and Il chart He carried no rh,o-
nomcter. On starting the weather was tine,
but before he cot to Shake Harbor. on tbp ood
of June he had to contend Nith some mia
tnoS and strong head WiuIa He left Shokn
,yi, Thnn b, voy IN I,IitnI. II ,n north
laa;t,,.la 4, ,,-aet
- ,,,. .- .,
MI; .i,,-o o.Io .,,,.,n,, m, ,r1 ,b,.h,., H.,
,,, ~ ,rnif .oi'l'i 9 5SbiirJ ,i, :, h,,,,,-7 ~
ubinh startoj tjn no,niinlt nf tla Lnt,iy.,,
NM; la tbo ,,nto,. in o,I SANE, ~, H., ,,rn,.;
in ora ~ sno;Ia, H. thi i; h a,,l,
ha,,, ho,in1 van, ri,,nrnnnl T., Jayico NE
,,,t,i,, ;n,-ital l,lnsen 10 ,o,nn ,Ironl hut
t 10 l;naI la;,I. Jatorn,i,oI tn ,,o.thor MA
l1a,a mi .,cromr,;j.h thn unInrtakin~ evan 1T
thn ,H.,,a,,o az Garon,tort .,I nr;,'afinn MIA
nI I, ~ 1 Tr ,n,tha, ,ia s,'I
& ,n, In, IN 1,t, nv, ,y,nn >I,n., hrn".,
,', 1h snt I, an - ,,,o r,,,
i,il IL Eatt nv, ,rtn ,,,fn,.t 81 Ftrha+ Ia'.
ha flnI ny in,seIf .hnnt nn miias rro,n C,I
nIoa,. ''1t IN tha not1rsa Of tbat l,v thn VIM
fii ~ 1 ~ 1li ~ - ',''s I' Nta.r,ii'
~ nln,-n ,ia Nnia lan1o'T. ~. :, hrio. hnli,t1
to, tpi,a iornnoI 70 Nv yn,l, raa In, .hn,.t
ona iI ~ lo,, hin, oo,nn,,,,. on1 atm r,,,
NM 81; fo,, honr. ,tI, nr h mmshi,ne hi.
maSt MAJ ,nterminino in nr,Irr tn ria nIIf tha
linio liaI, :, ,'I hnar, w 'l,"7' t - N'''
MANI half nn bo,,r t} to DOT broa,isjp
o,tn " ba,1 n h1,aal,ar trI,cI- her and shn
MY, !, ;atan,, ;,I MN, ~. c,',nnyaI
Tah,na''s nosjtinn wa. t.rin,s onn td. thc
,a H., po1 lolr,.J .}inl t,, tI,o sn5rt
IA ,''" t ." q ii ,,'I tI ta atla ,
lit'o U.l t'!e ou, 'ii,' t,0 ~ ~ ~ i
~ ~ IL NV. i,' ",tI ,'o tI ~ W I o,nI
t1ot ha. ntil n'othor sn, st,,,i hnr ,hoIf
twenty minutes Inter. and rjohted her with his
own assistance.
PERIL FROM 4 SuAlik
rh;, ooo,,rrod !, tbo .,ftarnoon and inst az
~ NJ poo,.i IN ~ .''L LI nl
in sir n"d soL iIa frE;. Hn,,cio'S nim.i.
WIS y nol a,,oI ,,l - thn m,,,
ii Nv ,io. lot,;aJ t ha , nt h;
I1in Va e9en' ati0 ~ w ~ - ~ ~ ~ - ~
~ ne Sot hi'ilt u.i,' of ,a,li, ~ tie sh,U
oi ilis t IN s',S H[ M itn racantion The
iSNN
Upset nag u va t ''ieI' Iohnr oil ot%in
crsoi AZ o,tai =. H. ra+ u, so'aiin7 "1
70; na, 2 ,,,tnh stonneI IJn was obliorI
MS cioch i'il' Mlcn siopitu' tie " aa op'i'
10 keep ms clotes On MS oach ul'l llei ~ ltu
ne pofea some I han o tno t,o
10 w. ~ ~, ynll v"u l. ' not moTa ne@ In the
drenched' ana Would not move pes IN ,'' ,lit
upset lne uoly trteu amay ,liu ,Jn Jnr
sized Captain johnson was assisIed SIS , 70 oreaa
ana poffr hefr .et tbev tS narted copanv NV Aer
his is' the weather WAS togey and ranv for about