Daily Republican., 1881-08-06
IN THE NAVY.
A Former WilmiDgt"ninn Re
counts Some Of his Experience.
ba pan,nhltnan

|
For the Republican.
PORTLAND, MAINE, !
Aug. 4th, 1881.
Thinking few lines might interes
some Of tile many readers of your valu
able paper, l have concluded to giv'
you hasty condensed account of oul
movements since my last. On July
14th we hove up anchor at Newport, Il
l., making sail to royals ard fly .jib
started down bay and came too off Mar
ragansett Pier where party of ladies
and gentlemen came aboard to accep
the hospitalities of our new captain
They were ushered into the cabin and
soon gathered around the festive board,
recalling themselves with the good
things Of this life. Whilst gaety and
mlrta reigned within, our minstrels'
assembled aft on half deck AMI treated
them TO some vocal music, singing some
of the popular airs of the day. After
the inner man had been satisfied, they
inspected the ship, arms, etc, and at 4
D. IN. bid us adieu. We immedia, ely
started once more seaward bound to
Pr)vincetown, Mass, taking ship to
southwark and headed w. S. w. -
passed Buzzard's Bay and innumerable
schooners before entering Mart has Vine
yard. The breeze being light from S.
by w. and S. w. by w. took in .iib and
set fore-top stern sails and tackeG ship
to the Sd and Ed and headed s. f..
| Sighted Tarpaulin Cove and Sow and
Pigs lights late in the evening. Friday
morning opened Gear and pleasant
passed west and east chop light houses
and stood on through the sound. We
crept along carefully over the shoals
until 8. 40 Il. IN. and ON account OF head
winds vas compelled to drop our anchor
underfoot and wait until wind was more
favorable. The crew Were exercised in
| the very exciting routine Of abandon
ship SO each and every one would
know his duty in case Of disaster at
sea. 1t does not take long to see the
old ship deserted and the water around
her ii'' Il with boats and lite RATS ali
having so many sailor marines com
manded by an officer and supplied with
IA breaker of water, bread, sails, COM
pass, coiorS, etc in fact al means used
to keep them atloat and alive until re-
lief comes. top, IN. we renewed our
passage over the shoals to Pollock $
H. Int ship and soon Chatham light bore
in sight. We moved along nicely dur
Ing the night. On Saturday morning
espied Ia ,e Point light aud att squared
away for the harior of Province
to"n, which is a tine 0ne-no wonder
our Pilgrim Fathers wele so delighted
whea they sought it as place Of rest
The town is mostly inhabited by fisher
men and the houses with very few ex-
ceptions are frame.
Tie ship had scarcely been given
enolgh chain to ride easily before the
old relics, the holy st mes We're taken
from :htir hiding places--which with
the aid of sand and water, decks We're
soon white - AMI the crew loungei
around feeling content that a day Of
rest was in sore for them. The mail
was then sent ashore and its rcapprar
ance watched with anxiety, for the jov-
ful sound mai-ho gladaens every heart
and each one respGn'lsquickly and waits
patiently to see if there is Il inissive tor
him--either from mother, wife or sweet
heart, to cheer him and console his ach-
ing heart. We made all plain sail on
Sunday morning casting to port and
stood out of harDor. The wind variable
in force aud directiol-wOrked ship to
windward took in royals and fly jihs
and beat of Boston Light, coming to
anchor near it ut eight in the evr ming,
Mino's Ledge light bearing 8. E.1g +.
Monday was a damp, misty day, no
breeze, so we rested until Tuesday
morning wnen u tug from the navyyald
came down and lowpd us into harbo -
passing Deer Island, Fort Independence,
the Old "T wharf where that article
was committed to the care of the water
on the hight Of December 10th, 1913.
We anchored nearly opposite the old
church-from whose stceJ,le Paul Re-
we're signalltd to our Orces the move
ment of the British, with our how
pointing direct to Bunker Hill mOnu-
mrnt. The commons is apleaSa place
to pass an idle hour away-the Old elm
1T " hat IS left OF 1t, is nclosed with ;!
nice iron raijng-a monument erected
10 the soldiers and sailors OF the late
war aiso adorns it, and the public gar.
dens are splendid-such a variety of
flowers anu the beds laid out in such
pretty designs.
On the Lakes within its borders, boats
in the shape Of swans glide s,n, othly IN
with lnelr occupants and every thing
seems to denote ease and comfort. At
the main entrance stand, Il tine statue
OF "W lshington" in bronze Ny time
was too limited to gain a tair knowledge
of the Hub-but one thing / will ven
turc-that it would be difficult to find II
city with more crooked streets On
Monday morning we got underway and
anchored OFT the Willows near Salem
at 80 p. NJ. On Tuesday n great many
citizens from Sa EN- visited u.s. AT $40
p. NJ. Wednesday We tried to beat out
to sea- but finally came TO anchor and
turied sail at 40 p. II. All in even
ing The breeze treShenins from Sx +. and
5. ). Il. We made sail and got under.
way. AT 1880 Thatcher Island bor.
NWl2 N. Unchanged course to NNEl,
f. Dense fog hung over the ocean and
on Thursday morning it was thick
enough to cut with a knife-compelled
10 change our course sc, eral times un il
at noon when we put into Portsmouth,
n. H., anchored near Fort.Consti,uiion
-t'rled sail and squared yards Here
on account of fog and head winds we
laid over until Saturday morning, Ehen
under all plain sail we stood out of fhar-
Dor. In afternoon Boone lslaLd light
house stood 5. 5. W.-lacked shin
to Sa and E;L-took in one reef in
topsails, set ,op gallant sails over
them aud work"i along, all the night
cNe tog being 50 thick that You cculi
iiscerl, scalre tive tttt lne tog lifted
on SUNDAY morning, when ships was
tackled to Na-oracea around, W nd
coming on lee bo&. The boys can sut
u great many dog fish during the after.
noun. We were compelled On accourr
rf very liirie breeze to set top gallant
ar.d 20, mast st'!nr;,ilS. The Hun eau
oast 'l the crooked streets, Maine can
boast ut her den-c togS and pine tree,