New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-18
CAPN PELEG AND HIS WHEEL.
AN OLD NANTUCKET wHALER LEARNS
TO NAVIGATE THE NOVEL CRAFT.


While thus engaged. Captain Peieg Bunker was
seen coming with a light breeze from east-nor,heast
Twenty-Five years ago the Captain look MS last
sperm whale. II tried out 125 barrels. He came
back to New-Bedford after the best voyage ne mao
ever made Since then he has lived most Of his
time In Brooklyn with his daughter Mrs Menitaoie
Cathcart. Nine months in the year he Is with her'
Every summer ne comes TO Nantucket. AS mat
ter OF course. he pays visit TO Sconset' IL hau
been rumored the island that he mad been learh-
lng TO ride a bicycle. That subject was broacned
soon after the "Cap'n" entered.
YES" said Capn Peleg, Il did try to learn 10 SAIL
that new craft. I didn't want to do IT, but my
granddaughter Phoebe Ann, shipped me LOT d
cruise. and said she'd teach me how TO naVisa,e
It. She's as handy In san' one as an islander Is IN
managin' catboat' ~
How did you get along?" inquired capn VIII
lam Paddock. third.
We'll" said Cap'n Peeg. 81 must own up that
I can do good deal better on a ships deck. II
Phoebe Ann rates an able seaman, amt much
better than a lubber even now
But how can the girl sail one with woman
rig onr' asked Cap'n Zacheus Pitman, VINO haon
been off the island for more than twenty yoa '.,
Doesn't she get her lower rggin' in snarl round
her legs?'
RIGGED IN QUEER SHAPE
.,,o,,. s,o wou,a - she wore petticoats' said
CAPTAIN Peleg "she's got beyond 'hat. You Sec d
bcvcle ,s very funny craft. Everything Is slowed
,hovo the wafer-line and cap'n. crew ana p"s-
senger-and these three are one-are way up 90
So she's topheavy at the start On such GRAFT
woman wants to spread mighty niue canvas an
as for tophar nper II needs TO De hsht-J"St ''0"e
NJ Il n LOT other craft know that rs woman III
command bicycle hasn't got any cenreooar" ~
Lean ber from drftin to lewar1 and she doesh
carry any ballast So II girl has got big iot OF
canvas spread over her lower spars' sie may ne,'
over to le'ward when working against 'ne VIM
and mebbe capsize, unless she brings her po"S ~
Wind Sailing q cycle isn't a mans business any
,orger When a woman undertakes 10 40 any
thing out OF her reckonin sic means 10 10 a.
VOL &c man II she can. Girls nowadays tnhK
that ,hev are smarter than their mothers ana
guess they're moren half right Phoeoe Ann ga"
that she was hampered by the canvas she carr'eu'
She had taken reefs IN her skirts out even th''
she couldn't board and land as she wanted one
saw that many girls had bent their courses ato-
gether and nut on a closer rig. so she sald she u
do H. too She put on new kind OF preeches-
a little baggy above the knees-which she iaSneu
round her stern plankin. tell you she ioo"e'
trim in IT, though the rig was good many p mus
off course, women carry san no"dud9S n"'
now when Phoebe Ann jumps aboard oicycie' sne
can run before the wind. sail ciosehau.ed, peat u
wnd'ard or go safe with a heavy wind on her beam
end not show her keel. though there isn't pouHu VI
metal slowed around her kelson
but how did you get along earnin' 10 navigate
the craft?" inquired Cap'n AhdD roger.
SAILING THE WHEEL.
"Well" said Cap'n Peleg IT didn't tackle kindly
10 the thing at first. Seamanship don't help man
sixpence worth in sailing that KIND o vessel Out
Phoebe Ann told me I'd got to learn. II man
,akes his wife on voyage she promotes herself TO
he master before he's day off soundin's daugh-
ter won't walt long. AS for granddaughter
we'll she'll work to windard OF cap'n, mate DO sh'
boatsteerer carpenter cooper and all hands pefore
you've cast of from he wharf SO when fhoepe
Ann said: Grandpa. you must learn to sail
wheel saw how the thing was headn. knew
I, had got to come. or course. showed signs Of
mutiny but she honeyfuggled me until promised
10 go out with her on the next Mondey morhih "
she would go before eight bells when sa"
streak comm through the sidelights. turned out
hut as II was cold and the weather looked squay'
wanted to beg off. Phoebe Ann wouldn't take no
for an answer: so | dotted my house toys. put on
nv pea Jacket and sou'wester. and headed Tor the
park in convoy Of the girl. found she nad c"ar-
tered a wheel for There II was, moofed ioNs-
side the place OF the man that owned IT, no" !
was TO get aboard | didn't know. There was no
ballast to keep her steady. There wasn't deck
70 land on or a cockpit into which | could jump
There was thort about big as duifplate MADE
of lea Their dashed over little iron frame. was
expected TO straddle 1t. and squat down with one
hanging over the port Ann rail npe 'fe o steady
when | gettn aboard. but too ner ! w wa
a Il
small craft like that and | would do it alone If l
sunk" ,,.. ..o, ca,,r Ne,chis
SBack yom maInyard. and in minute III tie. tell
ygger but a. there was nothing below the water
line keep the thing on an even Keel my Wiki
p Was tryin' to get out from under the wreckase
Well the girl laughed IN an, most hu tod be WY When
we got the burned thing ahoat again Ia let neT
help me aboard. She held up the wheel untii /
Cd he hort
command OF the awk'ardest craft that had ever
Great Point Rip would have been play for Nan.
tucket boy to manage compared to H. what
instead Of aft and the rudier rugged under the
bowsprit Then there was twqpr o .s non
think OF putting the galley on the mantop as to
change things around as they do in buiidin wheels
FEET TROD THE OUTRIGGERs.
when wanted to get under way put my helm
aport and reached over TO haul in the mainShee'-
But found that there wasn't any main sheet AS
there wasn't any oars or rowlocks. | had to row
with NV fee, treadn' the outrggers. Then | got
ALL mixed in the steern'. Half the time when |
wanted to go to port sheered off to starboard and
vice versa Once when was dom this ! came
baby carriage I just cleared her port quarter. but
as was afraid I'd done some damage, LOOKED
on ri big bush and took another tumble When
| did get under way didn't move fast enough TO
time and even then the burned thing lurched TO
wind I'd or le'ward. that half the time thought
Id land in the scuppers This was bad enough but
when | ran bows 20 big elm tree ana took
another tumble and stove in the back OF my right
hand, / did get a little DISCOURAGED ! saw Phoebe
Ann tryin to keep from laughin' but she helped me
up and told me that that ended the first lesson
81 hauled of 10 repair damages hoping that that
cruise would be the last Not Bit OF it. That girl
kent me nj il three or four mornins a week wnen
IL was pleasant until got 90 that | could sail a
wheel alone even In a narrow channel win plenty
OF other craft runnIn 'thort my bows But want
Would you advise us to learn to sail such 4
craft?" asked Capn Eben Hussey.
We'll" said Capn Peeg that depends I'm TOO
old to tackle things. But when young
life is about he launched the ocean Of practical
experience think We should soap the ways so that
she'll slide down easy. What better can old
fellows do than to start our young ones on the
voyage of life under good conditions; and LEI thenl
with experiAnce get strength 10 help them sail
| through unknown and mebbe DANGEROUS waters:
That's al very nice" said Capn JabeZ Swain.
"Capn Peeg IL loaded down with good sailor sense.
But | think It is about time TO splice the main
brace"