The Portland daily press., 1895-10-12
HARBoR NEWS.
A Visit to the Missionary Yacht
Alert.

What Capt. Allen Has Been Doing-His
Wife Took the Helm in a Squall While
He Was on the Bowsprit-Unusual
| History of the Boy Who is With Them
| Other Items
A splendid west breeze was blowing
yesterday and the harbor Was full OF
/ white caps. At one time row boat could
hardly live in it. The fishing schooner
boats were scudding about with reefed
sails and the larger coasters were bowling
up and down the harbor as if they fairly
enjoyed their rapid progress. 1t was an
| inspiring s2ene.
The missionary sloop yacht Alert came
into the harbor Thursday and yesterday
a PRESS reporter, at the risk OF being
capsized went off to her in row boat.
He found Captain Allen and his wife
very comfortably at home in Their snug
cabin, in company with a small poy'
sixteen years old, and cunning plack
kitten. Captain Allen, who has succeeded
Captain Lane in this yacht, IS the sailor
missionary and preacher along the coast
of Maine The Alert has been much
changed ana improved. The work was
done at Sargentville. The repairs include
three new vale streaks on each side, %
new top timbers, new stem timbers and
planking, a new centre board, new bull
warks and rail, recaulked all over and
refastened and repainted. She was black
before and is now white Captain Allen
and his wife are young and very pre-,
possession people. AS the reporter
climbed aboard from the tossing row
boat his face and clothing wet with the
spray, Captain Allen came out OF the
cabin and extended a cordial welcome
He has been a sailor and his bronzed face
shows it. He is between thirty and forty
years of age and his wife, who is very
charming in person and manner, seems
almost like young girl. Captain Allen
said that he left South Gouldsboro Mon
day morning, where he had been holding
meetings for two weeks. He also held
meetings in Birch Harbor. There is no
church in South Gouldsboro. There are
about thirty five families living in the
village There is Christian Endeavor
society there, carried on by several OF the
ladies' They had had no regular preach
| ing there for two years and only occa-
sional services during that time AT
Birch Harbor which is about the same
size as Gouldsboro, there is no. church,
but they have what they call Christian
band q During the past year Mr.. Temple,
who was the leader of the band has lost
his eyesight, and the work of the band
has fallen off since then. A week ago
last night Captain Allen and his wife
and party of eighteen from South
Gouldsboro, went to Birch Harbor in a
| hayrack, it being too rough weather to
i sail around in the boat.
| A week ago last Monday night, Captain
Allen and his wife had a surprise party
on board the Alert Thirty South Goulds-
boro people came aboard unexpectedly
and brought with them squashes,
potatoes, sugar, tea, butter, eggs and
condensed milk, Goldfish and beans, soda,
soap, sardines, pail of preserves and
dollar in money. They spent tho evening
in singing and in service of prayer. The
South Gouldsboro people are ali fisher
men and farmers, and are very kindly
and cordial The Alert had rather a
rough passage getting here this week.
Between Georges Island and Monhegan,
Wednesday morning, about eight O'Clock,
when carrying full mainsail and jib, a
squat struck and carried away the star
| board turn buckles of the main rigging,
| and LEFT the mast hanging by the topmast
| backstays. He HAD to reef the mainsail
and take the 'sbunnet" off the jib. While
taking the bonnet off the jib his wife
was at the wheel. She was not used to
steering in such rough weather and occa-
sionally dipped her husband under water,
as he was struggling out on the bowsprit.
They worked their way back into Port
Clyde where they remained two hours
till damages were repaired. They kept
on to Boothbay and remained that night.
Thursday they left Boothbay at a. ~.
Captain Allen has had to hire $3.50 to
pay for the repairs and that has to be
paid within year. He barely gets
enough from collections at places where
he breaches to pay for running expenses.
The Alert carries the preaching of the
Gospel to places where it is seldom other
wise carried There is no queuion about
the value and need of Captain Aliens
work Some time ago the PRESS
printed the story of how Cap tain Allen
happened I'd undertake this missionary
work. and of his many sacrifices in so
doing
Those who believe that missionary
work at home is as necessary as that in
| foreign countries may we'll turn their at
tention and their contributions in this
direction. When Captain Allen was here
in August, Secretary Garland of the Y.
NJ. G.. A. promi sed him an opportunity
to speak and solicit contributions at the
| Y. M. G. A. rooms, some Sunday after
noon in the latter part of September.
! The repairs on the boat took so much
time that he couldn't get here in
September. Now all the Sundays after
moons are engaged for some time ahead.
| Captain Allen has invited the ministers