The morning call., 1890-12-26
THE CRUISE OF
THE ISAAC AND :
Story Of a Schooner That Bears
That Singular Name.
The Captain Had Named Her After His Own
Name and That Of His Intended-He
Obliterated One Name.

lEom new DeulOTu, anu Is OWneu anu COLL
manded by Captain Isaac johnson. says
the New York Times. But the Register is
silent as to the reasons that induced Cap
tain johnson to christen his vessel by so
strange name; neither does it make men,
ton of an extraordinary voyage which the
same vessel has recently finished.
Captain johnson, who was one of a race
of hardy mariners, found himself at the age
of 40 in possession of a snug little fortune.
This he concluded to invest in a schooner,
and at the same time he thought of mar
riage. and his choice fell upon a comely
damsel of New Bedford who bore the not
unpleasing name of Priscilla.
To Priscilla, therefore, the captain made
love, and she, not unwilling, consented, and
day by day they watched the vessel as she
was shaped and fashioned by the work
mems skillful hands. Finally she was fin
ished, and one morning as she gracefully
giided down the ways Priscilla, sweet and
blushing, broke upon the schooner's figure
head bottle of wine, at the same time cry
ing:
Il name thee Isaac and Priscilla"
Across the vessels stern this name shone
out in gilded splendor, and as the captain
watched the letters sparkling in the sun
light he felt that his happiness was COM
plete. The work of fitting out was soon
done. To the captain it was labor of love,
for to the Isaac and Priscilla was he TO bear
his bride and sail upon
HIS HONEYMOON.
But one day, one cod and dreary day,
they came and told him that she whom he
had loved and trusted had deceived him.
that she was another's. Then, with aching
heart and trembling hand, he wrenched the
70 NAG ms FRI .hara la hnl Loo,
ingly placed it, and sailed away from the
scene of his grief and woe.
Years ago was this, and since that day the
Isaac and has breasted the waters of
many seas, and though her name has grown
old and dim and the captains heart has
healed, yet she still bears that half-inter-
rogatory, half-exclamatory legend across
her stern.
Many wild tale OF storm and disaster
and many curious story of foreign lands
has the captain brought back from sea, but
# all the voyages that tie Isaac and
has made the last is the most extraordinary.
1t was In March of the present year.
Vessels were in little demand and freights
were low; so the captain concluded that a
small speculation on his own account
would be of some profit, and, loading his
vessel with lumber, he set sail from Nor
folk on the 23d of March and laid his course
for the island of Jamaica. Now, the cap
tain was OF frugal mind, and, instead Of
Atlantic Ocean, he consulted Captain Sharp,
retired shlpnaSter, as to the course he
should steer and the probable time lie
would be in making the passage to Jamaica.
Captain Sharp assured him that it was one
OF the pleasantest of cruises, that he him.
self had made it many times, and that all
Captain johnson would have to do after
getting clear of the land was TO let his ship
30 south little easterly and that in about
ten days he would be sure of making the
island
With this information Captain Johnson
weighed anchor and, with light wind blow
ing from the westward, let her go south
little easterly. All that day. and for many
succeeding days, the Isaac and speeded
on her way, the wind light from the west
ward and the course always south little
easterly. The weather, unfortunately, re-
NAMED cl oudy,!so that the captain was un-
able TO take. any sights for position, but
trusting implicitly in
THE JUDGMENT OF CAPTAIN SHARP,
He day after day kept on the course of
south a little easterly and borrowed no
trouble for the morrow.
surprising fact, and enc which at first
caused the captain some uneasiness, was
that the weather, instead of becoming
mllder as the ship sailed south, grew stead
lily cooler. But after a consultation with
his mate, WHO was more or less of q scholar,
he concluded that this change in climate
was entirely due to the enormous destruc-
ton OF forests then going on in the United
States.
At early dawn of the tenth day land was
reported by the lookout at the masthead.
and in few hours the island of Jamaica
was plainly seen from deck, and at SUM-
down the Isaac and was safely anchored
by the starboaTd anchor in seven fathorns
of water. Congratulating himself upon the
the successful voyage. and upon the money
he had saved in not buying a chart, the cap
tam made preparations for landing at day
break. Before retiring, he gave orders to
his steward to lay out his white trousers
and alpaca coat, that he might lose no time
in the morning.
In the course of the night the captain was
several times awakened by feeling of
chl!lneSs. but gave the matter no particular
attention and simply snuggled closer under
the bedclothes. What was his surprise then
upon looking out Of his cabin the next morn
ing TO see the snowflakes falling thick and
fast. But thinking that it was only a pass
ing squall and that soon the tropical sun
would come out in all its plendor, he SILVER
ingly arrayed himself in his white trousers
alpaca coat and straw hat, and jumping
into his boat alongside pulled for the shore.
AS he neared the beach and could make out
objects more clearly, how different they all
were from what ne had pictured.
Instead of the luxuriant forests, a few
scrubby pines; plantations of susar-cane
had given place to thin ard stunted corn
stalks, and the thatched huts of the natives,
shaded by the stately palms. had changed
into few weather. beaten houses. Save
MAN CLAD IN A FUR COAT,
Who was hard at work shoveling the snow
away from the front of his house, not a sol
itary being was visible on the island.
Toward him for information tho captain
took his way. The man in the coat greeted
him as he approached, and Captain johnson
told his story-where be was from, how
long he had been on his journey, and what
his cargo was.
'Pm afraid it's not much use," said the
native, when the captain had finished his
tale. Nobody wants to buy any lumber
around here, guess"
I'm very much surprised" said the cap
tain, 'for understood before left Norfolk
that there was quite demand for lumber in
Jamaica"
..'Jamaica?". queried the stranger
Yes. replied e, the Cal tain. This is ia
80. Jamaica be bowed" cried the inhabltant,
ITS Block Island"
And so it was. Whether Captain John
son IN his efforts to sail south a little east
erly had been swept to the northward by an
unknown current, or whether his com pass.
acted on by that unknown force which we
call magnetism, had deceived him We shall
never know.
But it Is evident that unless the system of
navigation is greatly improved we are liable
al any moment to be shocked with the news
OF some terrible disaster. There are other
commanders besides Captain johnson who
are Of frugal mind, and who rely upon the
information CLEANED from their brother tars,
and it is duty which every seafaring man
owes TO these worthy sailors to invent some
means by which any land can be distin-
guished the moment it is seen. The propo-
sition which was recently made in the col
umns OF well-kn0wn nautical publication
to paint every island a different color is
hardly feasible for more reasons than one.
but we have little doubt that when this sub
5ect Is brought to the attention OF seafaring
men the problem will soon be solved, and
the cruise of the Isaac and = in the spring