The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-16
SAILED ONE HUMID RED YEARS
The Remarkable History of the Oldest
Vessel Now float.
From The Ne,c York Star.

From The Nelo York Star
BALTIMORE, March "a remarkable
vessel, a fore-and-aft schooner of about
eigh y-five tons register burden, called the
Vigilant, is now and has been running from
Sauta Cruz to st. Thomas, and vice versa,
as passenger, mail ana packet, for upward
of fourscore years. The Wig liant, it is said
was built In Baltimore, Nd. during the
very first years of our national indepe d.
ence, making her upward of 10 years old, She
was of t Baltimore clipper ass, so famed
many years for speed, and musU have been
wonder aud beauty when launched A
gentleman, who was for many years a resi-
dent of st. Thomas, gives the following
interesting sketch of the famous old vessel:
''She Is full lolg for Ter tonnage, has a
long overhang of both bow and stem. like
many of our modern modelled Yachts. and
her masts rake aft at a grea er angle than
those of any craft l have ever seen. T is
great rake Of her spars harmonizes with her
sloping stern and gives her the picture quo
appearance of the ideal old-time SLAYER a i'd
freebooter. There Is legend handed
down that the old Vigilant has done her
share in transplanting Africa's ebony-hued
children 10 Cuban soil. That she has done
privateer or letter of marque service during
her eventual career there cannot be a doubt,
and some even say that there is proof of
her having cruised under the back flag.
skull and or Ssh mes i'll DAYS long gone
BE that as 1t may, her history since she
has been owned in and ide titled with the
Danish West Indies is a remarkably go ID
and favorable one. Year after wear on
fixed days, and almost with the punctualitv
of train-except du ing. the short calm
season-tas been heard the familiar, well.
known rattle of her chain running through
her hawse pipe as she rounded t. her moor
Tags, not varying twenty feet. The negroes
| say of her that size could find her wav ack
and forth alone were she poiate I, she has
made the trip so fequeI ! he
| Vlgilent mas for many wears dome
service as government packet, being
handsomely sdbsidIze to carry the IN iii.
official dispatches, officials and troops be-
tween these islands. At times, in the
absence of Danish war vessels in the West
Indies, when international questions have
been involved with Cuba, Porto Rico.
Hayti, San Domlngo, Venezuela, ETC., the
/ proud little old schooner runs her royal or
swallow tailed ensign of Denmark to the
| gan, takes on board coupe of howitzers.
| commissioner on two, proceeds to the Point
| of trouble, and invariably settles the mat err
amicably and re cefully. True to her name.
she seems vigllant in Watching for these
cases.
The craft has always proved a yeritable
masc to ner owners; they have always
had good luck. All have made money with
Ler, and several nave laid The foundations
of large fortunes with hear earnings. She
has escaped destruction by fire repeatedly.
she has shaved aud just cleared tie ugly.
jagged coral reef lime upon time; has rid
den through numb-rless dark-browed hur-
ricanes; escaped from and survived tile
sharp. sudden, terrific b Ow OF the white
squali on several occasions; sklmm ID along
by just skirtng and getting the spray OF
that fearful terror Of the navigat0rs, the
mighty waters out, as il bust astern or 10
leeward Of the favored little vessel: she
bravely and ga lantly straddlel tue mon
st"ous, mighty. Terrifying tidal wave Of
1867, which picked uD our gigantic warshlp
Ao9Ongahela as u wOlld a bottle CORK,
and placed her mig and dry IL the markel
place Of Frederckstad. 81. Croix: she has
ridden out mnny s)utbe ~ storms aud Id
heavy ground seas az ending them.
IL my thirty years acquaintance with
THIS vessel sue never was dlsmantled, sell
dom bad carried away "a small spar Or a
sail Or piece u rigging. aus immunity