The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-20
THE TERRfBLE vorAGE or 1HE TOAD.

or courage that Capt. pcleg Crum ~ Mnclcrcl
Cove. Maine. did not visit the Paris Exposition
in hs own sloop yacht. th" Toad Nor WINS the
fa.lure of his famous expedition due to any de-
merit In tho craft which he commanded Ever
since Capt Crum sailed his slopp by dead rock
oning TO Boston. in spite Of unpropitous
weather including heavy soucnst blow N
Cape Elizabeth and returned in safety with
cargo Of Mcdforl rum to disromr the critics
who had predicted certain disnsi r. Their hal
been no question as to tho senEoi ing qualities Of
the Toad. II is generally conceded ut Markrrcl
Cove that Capt Peleg Crum would have rcn"hcd
Paris in triumph but for the malignant hostil-
ity Of a Power justly abhorrcd and dreaded By
all serious minded men,
Oh. the Toad sails. she does!" Capt Crum
carelossy remarked to his neighbor. Deacon
Silsbee, in the Dcacons store. ono day early in
June.
The Toad does sail" allowed the Deacon.
The Captain gazod significantly the Deacon.
whose face put on receptive expression. Ms Il
70 say Tho Court awaits further communion
tons
And ef you kin diskivcr any rashn1 ron
son. continued Capt. Crum. lowering his voirc
IN confidential whisper. why she shouldn't
carry you and me and Andrew Jnckson's son
Tobins to the big show over yondcr. it's more'n
Fkin. Deacon"
when sober. the subtlcst logicinn. both i'm theo-
logical and secular matters on that section OF
the coast lie synipnthizrd heartily IN the
Captains project hut felt II due to himself To-
proceed deliberately. onalyically. and eau
hously.
Hum" said he. wagcing his head the
Toads a toler'b old boat"
She is asscnted the Captain. "Old an
thurowly seasoned"
Without intendn' To disperldge" contlnu cd
the Deacon. her bottoms more putty II tim
Der"
Putty or no putty rcjoincd tho owner Of
the Toad. she sails afore tho wind like a thing
Of life and minds nor hellum like lady"
It's "a long tack e. Paris" suggested tho
Deacon. shifting his ground and them that
60 down upon the sea in ships tso To- speak of
the Toad take their lives in the palms Of their
hands"
Deacon" said the Captain. solcmnlv; you
Amt settin' M fer TO deny nm ovcrrulin' Prov-
dence. or the efficacy OF prayer, Won't you be
along -
True" said tho Deacon notified by the
compliment to his powers Of intrrr"ssion. The
cody man fearoth Mother the hurricanes fury
nor the loyuthuns rage. Arc you sartan you
kin lay the coursrt
Unless tho Biographies lie like Ancrnins,"
continued the Captain. growing more earnest
as the details OF the adventurous scheme pre-
sented themselves To- his mind. It's Ms plain u
course 70 Havy-de Grass as it Is TO Bangor
You take u short hitch round Cape Sable and
then you're practically thar Who says the
Toad won't sail Gimme sou'cast or SOU rst
wind Andrew Jnckson'4 old COMPASS out OF the
schooner FAR in j.. % good stock 81 rervisions
two or three ~ 'h'n twenty gallon kags OF rum.
and tho benz y1ur petitions mornin and
evanin. an. a'low I'll lay the Toad long
side the c.iy 'ral.u' IN Paris in sixty days,
spite of blows o~ B.oizohuh"
The Captain brought his fist down upon the
cover OF Deacon S.,-boc's pork barrel with a
vigor that denoted fixed determination. Sew
sral neighb lrs WHO had dropped into the store
while he WIS sp'..s ius ant had gathered around
nim. attracted iy the energy Of his uitrrances.
ipplGuded the dlrnG vow. " In spite" lie re-
peated OF blows or Bcelzebub'
"CGpnl Captn" said the Deacon. coming
round from beAinl his counter and holding up
both hands in protest say nothing thcts rash.
While hold that prayerful navirntors, sailing
50 seaworthy and serious q craft ~ the Toad.
hev little or nothn to fear from Sltan's wilcs.
hold likewise that wlful and froward spcrrit
OF defiance at serh n moment is unnecessary
and foolish. And | would also remark that il
its Iquestlon in your mind between two and
thrf of them kags Of rum for SO long v'yagc.
rsla dooty and u yartue to be on the sale side,
CABIN Crum."
& is as well authenticated fact as any in tho
history o. Mackere Cove that on the morn ~,
OF Monday June II. 1878. the sloop Toad a
$4,000 registered tonnage. Crum master.
cleared Nor lIavre with Il cargo consisting ~
Deacon Silsbce. Andrew Jacksop's son Tobias,
and nearly eighty gallons Of Medtord rum.
Deacon Sisbee and Tobias Jackson arr adv--
edly/classod with the cargo rather than VITA
tbH workn, crow OF tho vessel. In og.l rtnh.
On hand for an early departure they haA
thought it prudent TO embark the night before
In accordance with suggestion Of tho Dat
cons. namely, thHt my surplus Of rum left over
from tho outward voyage could be probably
disposed of in Paris for such articles Of mcr
chandse as tho natives might have TO offer IL
exchange. the Captain had added fourth Ike.
10 the stock already on board. When the Cap
tain took command Of the craft in the morning
he found his younger passenger curled mp it
the cuddy. utterly iusensible to the momentou'
character Of the occasion. By comparison witt
Tobias Jackson. Deacon Silsbee was very sober
but judged by any other standard he was Yer,
drunk. The Deacon sat on the heel OF tl
bowsprit, his chin resting heavily on hotl
hands. singing in dismal voice hymn AT e.
hymn OF various metres. bu; to one unyaryiul
tune. An invitation from the Captain to lend
The Deacon did not stir. but sat with his hlo1r
eyes glued on tho rum kegs in the siandinl
room ait. and began. Tho voice OF FREQ graz
cries escape 10 the mountain" in n louder an
more melancholy !ntonati n than before.
The entire population Of the Cove had com
down TO the shore to witness the departure a
tho Toad Many were the weather prophecie
and the arguments II discussion shouted at tn
bold skipper. Even those Of his neighbors VIII
had been frcndiest - the Undertaking urs"
him to postpone his start until more iavornb'
day. Tney pointed to the long iog bank tina
lined the horizon 10 the seawari and hn
already shut in Damscoye Island and was hui
rylng toward Bald Head light and the mai
shore. Il calI lati to hey considerable 70
more or loss tiil fetch beyond the Banks" r.
urnelthcCl ptaia. chccrfully. Guess mouGh
as we'll overhaul thct air compass OF Andre
Jackson now "a later on
Cudor these discouraGing circumstance
with pronhecics Of evil sounding behind hii
and a thirk fog dead ahead. with ono OF hi