Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-09-06
TIE KENNEBEC SCHOONER: OR, THE EN.
GLISIIMAN AT FAULT.

ANY one who lived near the Kennebec
during the last war with Great Britain
cannot fail to remember the excitement
and anxiety of the inhabitants of Kenne
bee and Lincoln counties, when the river
was blockaded by the British. In many
of the towns on the banks of the river
towns which owed much of their mean:
of sustcnance to their maritime trade
the people were for some time actually
Strengthened for want of food, as nothing
could be brought up the river from any
of the seaport towns on the coast. Al
one time a dollars worth of -four wa,
often carried in small pocket handker-
chief, while the children of comparatively
opulent families were even forced to pick
from heaps of caSt-otf vegetables, frozen
potatoes which were placed upon the
Goals and eaten even before the frost was
wholly overcome. Some forty or fifty
trading vessels were lying idle in the
river, and a; length, the blockade became
so serious that actual starvation peeped
coldly in at some OF the poorer families.
Among the coasters which were thus
cut off from their trading, was a clipper
schooner, owned and commanded by Capt.
John Wait. which had dropped down
from Hallowell, and hauled up at one OF
the wharvcs in Bath. Capt. Wait was
loaded for Ipswich, Mass, and his family
were suffering from his forced state of in
activity.
"Mr. Springer, said Wait to his mate,
one bright morning, as they stood upon
the wharf at which the schooner was Sc
cured, - am going out
Sir
- am going out
But that English brig is out there
yet, darn her pictur,' returned Springer.
Capt. Wait seldom swore, but on the
present occasion he could not help it, for
he distinctly uttered pretty round oath
in connection with said brig, and then con-
tinued
I've got an idea, and it may get us
out in safety; but nevertheless out go,
at all events.
Well, returned Springer, L" if the old
Polly goes shall 20 with her
Four men and the cook composed the
schooncr's crew, exclusive of the two of
ficers. and they readily agreed to stick by
the old Polly as long as her timbers
held together.
Capt. Wait went on shore and procured
an old anchor and cable, which he car
ried on board the schooner, and deposited
near the starboard quarter, securing the
end of the cable to the large quarter elect
and placing the anchor so that it could be
easily tumbled overheard.
At about an hour before sundown, just
as the tide began to ebb, Capt. Wait cast
off his shore fas,s, and with good fresh
breeze from the southwark and westward,
he spread his sails and started off down
the river. Together with the assistance
of the tide and wind the " Polly" was
not over an hour in making the mouth
of the river, and, just 10 the eastward OF
Seguin, she espied the English brig stand
ingin.
The Englishman noticed the Yankee
as soon as she hove in sight, and keeping
away to the westward, she evidently in
tended TO cut her off. Crowding as close
upon the wind as possible, Capt. Wait
ran his schooner for Cape Small Point,
the immediate vicinity Of which, from
the number of large black rocks that or
nament the water, bear anything but an
agreeable aspect to the stranger, but,
nevertheless, some Of the coasters can
very safely wend their way among them.
As the Island of Seguin happened to
be somewhat in the way of the brig, she
had been forced to tack twice, in order to
get upon a direct chase, and consequently
the schooner had the weather gage. The
latter vessel had already reached the
rocks, and, Just as the brig came sweep
ing around the island, our Yankee cap
tain had prepared everything for his ma
npuvre. The schooner was now head
ing nearly south, and, of course her lar
board side was towards the Englishman,
while the latter was heading directly fol-
her, on the larboard tack.
"'Twont do to stand on much longer,
said Springer, as he worked hard to keel
the schooner just on shiver.
"a few minutes longer" returned Capt
Wait. "The brig won't fire till she get
little nearer. must get into that shoa
water ahead, where we can have plent!
of sea room, for when square away
want a clear sea.
Five minutes more passed away, dur
ing which time the schooner had reached
the clear water alluded to, while the brit
had been gradually opening her starboar'
battery.
Nov, stand by, boys" exclaimed tn
Captain, as he cast an anxious look to
wards the Englishman's guns, "Let he
come up"
In an instant the polly came into tn
wind, and as her sails began to flap ant
, flutter, but before headway was who'll
{ checked, the old anchor was Groppe'
overheard from the starboard quarter
. and dozen heavy water casks were in
stantly rolled over on the same side
which gave her quite heel to starboard
= Schooner ahoyi" shouted an office
t from the Englishman.
"Blast the cussed rocks !" roared Cap!
, Wait, springing to the helm just as tn
short cable tautened and brought tn
: schooner up. "Jump to those head sheets