The Portland daily press., 1888-06-09
sPoRIsMEN PERIL.
Exciting Experience in a Gale on
Moosehead Lake.

Messrs. George l. Wescott, William p
Dickey, John F. Colby. Arthur Chaplin and
J. A. Fairbanks, who, with j. B. Mayo.
Esq. of Foxcroft, and gentlemen from Mas
sachusett, have been ON a fishing trip to
Moosehead Lake, returned home Thursday
night, bringing home not only samples of
the delicious trout which the lake yields up
to its votaries, but also stories Of a thrilling
experience which they passed through. and
from which they were truly fortunate to es-
cape with their lives. As gathered from one
of the gentlemen of the party, and another
who came down from the lake with them, the
story, briefly, was as follows
The severe thunder storm of Wednesday
evening was widespread, and Moosehead
Lake was within the circuit of its range. The
party of gentlemen named above had gone
up the lake to Duck Cove, about IL miles
ABOVE klneo, in the stauneh steamer Louisa,
Capt. Sawyer, with complete outfit of boats
canoes, guides, fishing tackle. etc. The boat
dropped anchor at the Cove about o'clock
In the afternoon, and the party separated in
their boats and canoes and went out fishing.
In about half an hour an ominous looking
cloud, accompanied by a swaying of the
trees upon the shore, indicated that an at
mospherical disturbance of unusual severity
ately the effect of the wind was seen and felt
upon the water. Capt. Sawyer at once called
out to those in the boats to make haste and
come aboard the steamer, as he could not lie
there three minutes
All hands at once took in anchor and
pulled for the boat. Mr.. Mayo and guide
were first to reach the steamer, but their
boat was half full of water by the time they
got TO the steamer and they were just en-
abled to get on board and let their boat,
tackle, fish, ETC., go adrift Mr.. Dickey and
guide, and Messrs. Colby and Chaplin also
got on board and let their boats 90 adrift.
but the latter two came near being swamped
by the shower of life preservers swept from
the deck by the wind. The boat could hold
ON no longer and Captain Sawyer cut the
anchor hawser and stood her head to the
wind and rode out the gale like a duck,
Meanwhile Messrs Wescott and Fairbanks
had pulled their boat ashore, as also did a
guide with two Massachusetts, gentlemen,
aiter vainly endeavorlng to reach the steam
er. Alter the gale had passed over the
men ON shore were taken aboard, the boats
and such tackle as had not been lost was
picked up and the party returned to Kineo.
Here tney found that the gale had also
been severe, and Mr. Dennen said there had
been nothing like it for 20 years. A boat
which had been out fishing was returning to
the house and had reached within a short
distance OF the wharf when it was driven
out by the wind until out of sight. Steam
was gotten up. on steamer as quickly as
possible and she was sent in search of the
boat, which it was feared had capsized and
carried down its cargo of human life For
tunately and to the great joy of all they were
found safe in cove about two miles and a
half away. 1t was terrible gale and with
the large number of people at and upon the
lake II is wonder that no casualties oc-
CURED. There were four or five excursion
steamers out at the time of the gale. One of
the gentlemen in the party which came down
yesterday said he would not 20 through the
experience again for the whole of the Pts
cataquis railroad. All speak in the highest
terms of the GOODNESS, skill and good man
agement Of Captain Sawyer, and the staunch
qualities of his steamer Louisa.