Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-01-26


Boat that Ever Crossed Ihs At
lanItc.
New York Herald, 2lst.l
The steamship Canada, of the
National line, arrived at her dock,
pier No. 81 North river, yesterday,
after a long voyage from London,
having left that port January Sd.
Among her passengers were Captain
Thomas Grape and his wife, who
made the memorable voyage last
summer across the broad Atlantic
from New Bedford, Massachusetts,
in a whaleboat, schooner-rigged,
with leg-of-mutton sails. Captain
Crapo appears to be a man of about
thirty-fve years of age, is of sturdy
build and wears a brown beard. His
face is weather beaten, but a firm
mouth denotes the resolution which
enabled him to carry into execution
his daring plan. In his speech the
quick-witted Yankee is plainly
traced, and every word has some
shrewd, practical meaning. His
wife is perhaps his junior by year
or two, healthy, cheerful help.
meet, and talks of her successful
voyage with a pardonable pride.
The twain were found in the freight
agents Office on the steamship dock,
surrounded by group of admirers
who were listening to each detail of
the fifty days voyage with breath
less interest.
THE CAPTAINS STORY.
The reporter was taken by Cap.
tain Grape to the smoking room on
the deck of the Canada, and there
the yarn was spun of the trip of
The New Bedford.
"Why did l run such a risk /?
Well, I'll tell you. My first idea
was a Yankee one-that is, to beat
everything that had been done be-
fore. Useless, was it? AS long as
Englishmen and their cousins are
on earth you'll hear of their trying
their 'spunk against each other.
Had l experience? Listen to me,
young man. | sailed seven years
in the service of Messrs. Rumble &
Ramsdail, of Harrington, Me-, and
although | am not captain in the
American marine-I never got be-
yond first mate-I should like to
see the man that knows more about
ships than do. Besides, Pm a
captain now-captain Of the New
Bedford-and Pm prouder of that
and what I've done with her, than
if | was commander on the quar-
ter deck of one of Uncle Sam's
men-of-war." Here the Captain
paused, and took a few puffs Of his
cigar.
When l first got the idea of
crossing the ocean in the smallest
boat that ever succeeded in the at.
tempt | went right to work to de-
sign the crait-remember, / had
made twenty-one trips over the At
lantic and spent good many years
whaling-and when commenced
to build the New Bedford people
wondered what on earth | wanted
such a craft for. My seafaring
friends never doubted her qualities.
People said / was a fool, but l didn't
care. No, sir. ! knew the risk and
the exposure and all that, but i went
right on until the boat was
launched"
ZONE THING KEPT BoTHERING NE" "
The captain here became thought
full, and seemed to take a good deal
of comfort in watching the clouds
of smoke that were wreathing above
his head.
We'll, captain, after the boat
was launchedW
" Why" he replied, cone thing
kept bothering me, for as the time
of my departure drew nigh my wife
declared she never would consent to
my going without her Good stock,
sir; she's a Scotch woman, a native
Of Glasgow. Her father is a SwedC
and her mother was born in New,
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