The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-02-20


put no faith in humanity and was not
sure that his mate would not put: into
some southern port and sell the craft
and run away with the money.
That's what Cuddington would have
done if he had been in the mates sea
boots, but the mate was constructed on
different and fairer lines. The sailors
IN the brig had hard time of it the
rest of the voyage. 1t was clew up and
hoist up continually. The old man gave
the boat no rest, but cracked on canvas
in the hope of catching up with the
schooner, making sail between the
squalls with no regard for his scanty
crew. The sailors said he was like a
Portuguese devil: when he was good he
was too good, but when he was bad he
was id bad.
One night not so very long after Cape
Ann light was sighted, and at dawn the
brig sailed into Gloucester harbor. The
schooner was there moored to wharf,
looking as pretty as picture. She had
arrived ten days before the brig, having
been blessed with fair winds all the
way, which made her reel off the knots
in regular clipper style.
After the brig had been made fast to
her dock aboard came the mate and
walked aft to where the skipper stood
on the quarter deck. He looked pale as
ghost and sicker than dog.
"Jack, my hearty, how are your" ex-
claimed the captain as he seized hold of
the mates starboard fipper. "Come
below and take a nip"
The mate followed the old man into
the cabin. He moved in a Hstless, slip
shod sort of way. His former energy
and smartness had departed. He looked
as limp as a wet swab. Was this the
man that had played the skipper the
practical joke of sailing around him and
making fun of him few short weeks
before?
"Why, what's the matter with you"
asked the old man, pouring himself out
half tumbler of rum and passing the
demijohn to the mate.
"rll tell you what's the matter" re-
piled the mate; ''that Internal schooner
is haunted. My God, what a time put
in aboard Of her!"
"Avast there! Johnny, my lad, soft
ly, softly! There are no such things as
ghosts. Besides. if there are, it is no
use making song about those on the
schooner. am going to sell her for a
fisherman, and want no ghostly yarns
spread abroad about this craft. So just
clap stopper on your jaw tackle until
xr-o rr,+ n e-/c>1 ,,rina for. bor And har1r
We, my lad, I'm going to do the hand
some thing by you. If you keep your
tongue between your teeth this schooner
will be a matter of 5000 in your; pocket.
Take another nip. and when the vessel
is disposed of you can spin me the whole
yarn"
About month afterward the schooner
was sold to old Eben Fish, who was the
owner of little feet of fishing vessels
Some of them used to fish on st. Georges
bank for the Boston market. Others
were engaged in the codfisheries ON the
Newfoundland Great banks, and it was
for this industry that the schooner was
fitted out. She seemed well adapted
for this work, being an excellent sea
boat and very fast, as was proved
by her remarkable passage to Glouces-
ter under jury rig. She was hauled
up on the ways and the necessary
alterations were made in her to fit
her for her new business. Her hull
was constructed of live oak and teak
and she was as sound in all respects as
on the day she was launched. Old Fish
stuck two beautiful sticks Of Oregon
pine in her and her new sails had as
much trouble taken over them as the
canvas of yacht.
1t was proud day for old Fish when
the schooner slid off the ways, and his
pretty daughter Polly broke bottle of
wine on her sharp and graceful stem
and shouted at the top Of her sweet
voice, 81 christen thee Albicore, and
may you be lucky"
kind and of remarkable swiftness, and
gilded head of one carved quite artistic
ally adorned the bows of the schooner.
A crew was shipped, about half of
them being Portuguese, and under the
command Of Captain Peter Ogden she
started out on her first trip to the Great
banks. l was aboard, having shipped
as ordinary seaman. We piled the can
vas on her, and with splendid quarter
ing breeze away she few on her course
like some strong and beautiful bird Of
the ocean. All hands were delighted
with her.
The skipper went into ecstasies over
her behavior, especially as she passed
every craft she encountered. She made
an excellent passage to the banks and
let go anchor in favorite spot Of the
shippers, where the Goldfish always were
hungry. The ten dories were put over
board, and the fishermen were soon haul
ing up their fnny prey. We met with
so much success that a few of us deter
mined to fish all night. It was lovely
night. The moon shone on the placid
water, which was as smooth as land
locked pool without a ripple. There
was slight haze on the silvery sea, and
the stiffness and silence were actually
oppressive.
The good luck Of the fishermen con-
tinued. The Goldfish were biting well.