New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-24

winds and waters and harbors and sand-bars there
is class CT men who can afford to let the stripHhss
talk unnoticed These are the pilots and a type or
this class is James Park, pilot of the Bridgeport
and Port jefferson Steamboat Company. Park
knows so much about the particular waters that
he has navlgated all his life that he fully realizes
that he knows to nothing about the rest OF the
sea.
The slice Of old Neptune's domains with which
Park has become specially familiar is that part OF
Long Island Sound between Bridgeport and Port
Jefferson Park has made the trip across Long
Island Sound 1850 times. This statement may
seem extravagant to the amateur yachtsman' Dut
il is accurate. nevertheless Park has been pilot IN
the various ferry that have between these
two ports over thirty years. making. as rule TWO
trips a day: and before the ferry-boats began
running he crossed the Sound IN a sailboat several
thousand times
This is one reason why Park has not much to say
about navigation and his knowledge thereof. II Is
not necessary for him to tell the people Ihat ne
knows much about the Sound between these two
points because the people know he is as tamiIar
with It as any be. Park is typical pilot Not
one of Your rough-and-ready sea dogs, quite as
handy in splicing rope as in getting away with
rub Of grog." but man who knows his own par
ticuar business so well that he mas paid attention
10 no other. He doesn't pretend to be able to run
the engine Of the boat he pilots. and he is not so
sure tndt he COulQ De neT captain Tic - O's
fled that he can pilot her across the Sound safely
when she is properly equipped. differed ana
manned
LIFE AT SEA AT THE AGE OF -FOUR.
Park was born to be a pilot. lie tried several
other callngs early In life. but only long enough
to be satisfied that he was cut out for plot ana
nothing else. He was born at Mystic Bridge Conn.,
in 1874. His father fisherman. ana FOR many
years commanded the fishing smack Sea Flower
4 HE hln
t.sm OF salt water, for scarcely had ne turheu
four years when he began going on hsnlng Trips
with his father. and by the time he was eght years
old he had attained the high distinction OF peils
the cook OF the craft. Kettles and pots veXed the
soul of Park for four years. when the Sea Flower
driven by stress of weather into Port Jefferson
harbor and Park left his ship and began farning
TO use his own words: Il put up with mat three ,
10 the sea again" After two voyages Park
became an assistant light keeper on the stratford
Shoal llghtship which at that time was anchored
in the middle of the Sound. In this comfortable
rownr ak SAILING te the CSnnect
cut or Long Island shore In quest OF supplies. $50
about 1865 the little steamer BroosnaVen PECAN
her trips as ferry-boat between PORT JeHerson
and bridgeport and Park resigned his place III the
made daily trips between the two ports nine years
Park being at her wheel with unfailing regularity,
an AT ne S s SOUND dS in the rough
est Kind OF weather he always bfousnt her in'o por
rapidly increased and about 1852 a larger steamer.
the Favorite was bought ard Park was made her
pilot. The trip across the sound was Ha.e more
exciting than Il Is nowadays. Park can tell how he
stood on the bow Of the / tie steamer Brookhaven
or of the Favorite and harpooned porpoises and
swordfsh diversified the sport by shooting Wild
ducks. catching the s,ain birds In crab net as the
steamer passed. In September 1884. the present
boat plying between the TWO ports the Nonowantuc.
was put lnto commission ana PARK has been her
pilot from the first trip taking her safely into the
two ports In all kinds Of weather
Many interesting anecdotes and thrilling advent
ures could be told by Park II he were 80 inclined.
but he doesn't like TO talk much about them. Many
are the times he has been cebound In the Sound or
when fogs made him entirely dependent upon his
own Judgment for his bearings. while the times he
has experienced the terrors of leeshore and been
tremendous waves are almost without
number. He declares that the toughest tine he
ever had In crossing the Sound day last
winter. The Nonowantuc had terrible struggle
with the waves and wind and did not see craft
OF any kind all the way over. The sea broke in her
forward doors hlled the hreroom and for moment
made the passengers think that TIER time had
come ON that day many steamers much larger
than the Nonowantuc had remained In thelr vari-
ports their shippers being afraid TO venture on
the Sound
An interesting incident In Parks life occurred at
the time OF the Idewild disaster In 1887. when that
Inflated steamer Ian asavse IN hhlnpen FolnI uaAr