Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-11-23
BY CANOE FROM BRAZIL.
How shipwreeke Mariner VIII
Get Back To Ills Home

10 tThVci from MO Gralue 90 sui,
in Brazil, to Baltimore. Nd, distance
Of nearly 4. 500 miles. in a canoe only
thirty fee. long. with h wife and two
sons.
That is what Capt. Slocum. OF the
wrecked bark Aquldneck, undertook
to do about four months ago. and judg.
ing from his success thus far he s like
ly TO succeed. He was seen at Bar ba-
dos on August 80. 1856 miles from his
starting point. by Capt Baker. of the
United States and Brazilian mail
steamer Finance, arriving from South
American ports yesterday.
Capt. Joshua Slocum. commander
and owner of the bark Aquidneck, of
326 tons burden. left Baltimore a little
less than two wears ago bound for
Buenos Ayres. II wife and two sons
were on board with him. and the r
subsequent trials and the I'M al loss of
the vessel at the entrance Of Rio Grande
do Sui harbOr, as related by Capt.
Baker. makes tale which Rider Hng-
gard would grasp with pleasure The
stoical indifference OF Capt. Slocum TO
his hardship. his independent spirit and
determination TO bring his family home
at hls own expense and the fortitude
of his wife, who IS every inch n sail
or. as Capt Baker said, adds zest to
the story.
When the Aqnidneck reached Buenos
A,res, in the Rio lie la Plato River.
Capt. Slocum secured a cargo and
sailed for RIO Janeiro. But cholera
was prevalent in the Argentine Repub-
lie and every Brazilian port was quar-
antincd against vessels from Argentine
! ports. So Capt. SlOcum perforce sailed
back to the "Plato" and waited sever
nj wears months for the quarantine to
be raised. He would have discharged
his vessel, but the other vessels we're
there ready 10 take the cargo, so he
waited. At last, during the latter part
OF May, 1887. the news came that ves-
sells could enter RIO. and the Aqud-
neck, with others, got under weigh.
He arrived at X O on June 8, but The
Health "Visite' lid not come out until
the next morning. when Capt. Slocum
was told that the Argentine Republic
was again IN force, and that if he did
not speedily clear out they would fire
upon his vessel. He went back TO
Buenos Ayers. where he dumped his
cargo on the owners wharf and told
him TO 90 to "B,llyhack" or some
other place not laid down on pilot
charts.
Capt Slocum then shipped cargo
for Rio Grandc do Sui, but on the way
thither smallpox broke out among the
crew.
Some OF the sailors died and num-
Der were i'll, so that the bark was very
shor,-banded when she arr we'd at Rio
Grande do Sui The health officer
there paid no attention to his signals
for some days and the Aqudneck
swung at anchor off the quarantine
station of the port
FINALLY one IF the sailors offered 10
go ashore with his sick comrades.
They were put into boat, and the
brave sailor who took them ashore
caught the disease and died. The ex-
act date of the bark's arrival at Rio
Grandc do Sui Capt. Baker could not
give. but the night following the de-
parlure of the sick sailors it blew
hard, and the Aqudneck. with hardly
any crew on board, was driven on the
rocks.
The captain. his wife. and two sons.
aged IL and 10 Years were saved. but
the bark was so badly damaged that the
surveyors condemned her. and she was
sold for n song The vessel was built
of oak and chestnut at Ny sic, Conn,
for Capt, Slocum ia 1865.
Nothing daunted by the misfortunes
that had overtaken him Capt Slocum
gathered the remnants OF his fortune
together and constructed n canoe in
which TO return TO Baltimore. He built
her of hardwood. with rocker keel.
aud stepped three masts as straight as
needles in her. She was dccked over
with raised cabin extending about
one-third of her length-th rty feet
and rooted over with mats securely
sewed to the frame work. The canoe
beam was five feet and she drew three
feet OF water when launched. Ropes
were stretched along the sides to pre-.
vcnt the passengers from sliding of the
rounding deck. The American consul
offered 10 send the captain anil his
iamily home. but he declined, and Mrs.
Slocum seemed to think her husban nd
knew what he was about, and entered
heartily into his plan.
The canoe was provsioned and with
her three lateen sails left Rio Grande
do Sui in rafting breeze. The cap
tain named his boat the Liberdade.
and she fulfilled her owners hopes re-
garding speed and seaworthiness, for
two months later she entered the har.
Dor of Santos This was about June
26 last. and here Capt. Baker first
learned of Capt Slocum's undertake
ing.
He was surprised soon after the ar
rival of the Finance in Santos. on the
trip before last. by the appearances on
deck OF tall. spare man of nifty years
with keen blue eyes and pronzed face.
He had just boarded the steamer from
n rowboat, and advancing to where
Capt. Baker stood he asked 10 DO
lowed TO Rio. adding, 81 am Capt.
| Slocum.
Capt. Baker looked closely nj tire
man and recognized him His mind
travelled back 10 the time when he
1 A