The Portland daily press., 1894-04-27

and the breeze propitious, possibly Peaks.
Then followed the epoch Of those mighty
letters Of boats, Fenno and Lazarus
Harlow, owners of those huge crafts, the
Laurel, Banner and Odd Fellow. Plump
bowed, chunky boats they were, with a
cuddy and hatch forward. They were
ali painted green, and carried two sails,
the foresail largest, and fore mast
stepped well forward. They disdained
both bowsprit and jib.
We owe it to Judge Goddard that this
which think the Judge firmly believed
was, all things considered, little the
best yacht afoat.
These craft had great roomy cock-pits,
and were well adapted for family picnlcs..
They would sail away from Union wharf
bright and early, full of men and boys
and their sisters, cousins and their
aunts," drop anchor outside Ram Island,
catch enough cod for chowder, and
then come bowling in with the fresnen-
ing southwest breeze and shoot into Dia-
mond Cove for a picnic. What a place
Diamond Cove was for picnlclng In the
forties and fifties! :.
And I must not forget Harry Mac"
and the American. How Harry loved
that old sloop he had constructed out OF
az ships long boat and how proud he
was of her! What an Intricate amount
of rigging he set upon herl How tender
ly he tackled on the old boot legs over
every incipient leak, and how gally be
painted up the old craft every spring
with many stripes and colors, till she
looked as fresh as daisy.
and owned our first yacht--a little
centre board, Is foot, Newport sloop.
which we lovingly named "Undine "af-
ter the water spirit of the sweet German
rowed by the stern and slowly spelled
out the name Un-dine," they slowly
drawled out, Il s'pose that means they
haven't been to ainner on board" We
could have tomahawked them.
/ remember a boat, which some wit
of low degree had named 2Vomit." One
day outside, in long roll, one of the
party on board looking over the stern
caught sight of the name. It was too
much for him. He obeyed the injunc-
tion.
With the sixties came sailing in the
Sparkle. The Nettle was already here.
What rivalry and racing there was be-
tween these two crack yachts. 70 their
owner, Mayor William Senter and Capt.
Ben Willard, belongs the honor of intro
ducing decked yachts into our bay.
What unwonted comfort we enjoyed on
board of theml And of all the yachts
that ever sailed our waters / verify
believe the most solid comfort and the
iolliest fun has been enjoyed on board
the old Sparkle. I hope she is sailing
yet. Surely If pleasant memories could
keep her afoat she would sail on forever.
And so the love of yachting increased
and developed among us Portlanders
until in due course of time there came
about naturally and inevitably an asso-
citation of brother yachtsmen, and in
IrI6 yoc
founded. Such a club came as no ex-
otto among us, it was natural growth
and has fourished from the start. 1t
has had blooming youth, and is now
in it's vigorous young manhood. We
have our long list OF fine sail and steam
yachts, our spacious and elegant yacht
club house, our regattas and challenge
cups, our enthusiastic meetings and
glorious cruises. We hold recognized
and honored place among the yacht
clubs of our country-age-of the world.
Much I could write on the history of
our club, but find / have already ex-
hausted my time, my paper, and, fear,
your patience. But / must mention
what I regard as the marked character
istic of our Club, and that is the sturdy
good seamanship of it's yachting mem
bers; for we have ever been not only
yacht owners, but largely our own sail
ing masters, pilots and able seamen as
we'll. We can all take trick at the
Wheel" "jam her to wind'a'd," pilot
our fine craft among the thousand is
lands of our rock bound coast, and when
the cruise IS over, make our mooring. !"
In word we not only own our yachts,
but we sail them. ,
I remember well when Mr.. John A.
Emery, my brothers and l used to sail
with a little circle of friends in the Whis-
per. One afternoon we came bowling
into Bar Harbor and dropped anchor
among the stately yachts OF the Eastern
mainsail... Many hands make light
work." rang out my brother Johns CHEEKY
voice. What neat furl we put on to
that sail, then packed up the boom,
hoisted the "lidn-the top of our little
cabin-and sat down to dinner in an
open air saloon dit for king. when
your yacht came in," remarked MEM
Der of the Eastern Squadron afterwards.
1--WE wondered that You were all crew
and no gentlemen. But little while
afterwards we wondered that you were
all gentlemen and no crew."
And this, [ am sure, Is the browning
excellence of the Portland Yacht Club
that it's mem beIs are all gentlemen and
sailors combined. In closing let me
watt over the seas my warmest, hearth
est greetings to the gallant tars of the
them have never forgotten them, nor
the club took part in founding, how
ever far 1 may have failed. The Port
land Yacht Club pennant, with its lone
star hangs in my Swedish home. ! have
carried it aloft on many cruise among
the mountain islands of this northern
coast. And when one summers day a
SQUADRON of 40 Swedish yachts sailed out
to meet the royal steamer Drott, /, as adj
miral, proudly hoisted to the masthead
of the leading yacht the American Yacht
Cub ensign, and over the blue waters of
the Swedish fiord the starry banner led
the Swedish feet to the Swedish king.
My friends, as we look back over the
cruises of our life, am sure we all re-
call dear comrades, perchance brothers,
who have sailed away from the shores
where we still stand out upon the un-
known, infinite sea. May we all find
and hail them again some perfect day,
as we sail among the Isles of the Blest,
Is the prayer of
Your friend and brother.
WV. THOMAS, Jr.
Among other speakers were Walter G..
Emerson, John F.. A. Merrill, George A..
Thomas, Edward M. Rand, George D.
Rand and W. M. Bradley.