The Republican journal., 1897-11-25
Around Portland and Away for Guiana.
Correspondence of The Journal


had long known of it as Canadian place
of considerable Importance, yet only
thought of it as a convenient point to
pass by on ones way to Boston. But |
find that if the heart and brain are both
soft one may continually be learning some
thing, and every now and then receive
new impressions regarding things and
places which have all the while been near
at his hand The Forest City, is a
charming place, and the business forest
ers that | happened to meet with are in
my estimation gentlemen and scholars
We had cargoes both inward and outward,
and no pilotage either way; don happen
to know of any two things that can more
thoroughly warm up penurious heart
than those twin conditions when met with
hand in hand
After discharging inward cargo the YES
sci was hauled out on the railway, where
an old comrade is in charge; one with
whom had been in company, in foreign
ports, score of years ago-when he was
no better than we. do not mean to imply
that he feels or shows that he is now any
better; | only mention the matter because
L like to see these old marines doing
successful business on the beach. The
exceptional cases in which they are sue
cesstul does not, however, disprove the
general rule that one who has long served
as commander of vessels is good for little
else-if be has good job of the old kind
he had better continue to hold it down so
long as he can see which tack he is on.
We towed to Wiscasset and put 600 tons
of ice in the lower hold, leaving number
OF square chambers Tor cellars) through
the body of the place, as cold storage
rooms. Any one who has only seen coast
wise cargoes of ice fired in raw with but
basket of shavngs and an armful of musty
swamp hay for dunnage, would be sur
prised to see the care that is taken of ship
ments that are to cross the Gulf Stream
and away through tropical seas The ends
of the hold are tightly bulkheaded off and
high platform built all over the bottom
then sawdust a foot thick is placed under,
around and all over the cargo. This time
it seemed that We had nearly as much
dunnage as there was of ice.
We towed back to Portland for other
cargo. For one kind CT thing there was
fourteen tons Of loose cabbage slowed in
one room, and packed in chopped ice. In
other rooms were baskets, crates and bar
rels of peaches, plums and pears, melons,
caulittower, celery and carrots, with most
every other kind of fruit or vegetable. In
one room was packed in chopped ice fresh
cod, halibut and other kinds of fish, in
Guiding live oysters in kegs. When the
lower deck matches were put on that
place formed grand ice-chest, we'll sup
piled with Sunday dinner material for a
large family. The tween deck was filled
with lumber, hay and grain, salt fish |
cheese and meal, with many other pro- !
visions, suitable for all mankind and some
other animals. A very moderate deck
load of lumber was taken ON, and also
dozen cooPs of fancy breeding fowl, in the
y
them there was three kinds of grain, a
box of pounded oyster shell, and consider
ably more tin dishes than were ever to be
found in the for k sic of an old time pack
et-ship. Our charterer. Andrew Adams
Esq, has been a very successful sea-cap-
tain and is now not only managing owner
OF vessels but is also the confidential
American agent of large commercial
house IN the Guianas. He will be success
full at anything he undertakes, because he
so carefully attends to every detail of his
duty, and is besides thorough gentle
man.
The deck load was well secured, the
vessel was flying light and in good con-
dition to meet any disturbance that might
cross our path. After clearance there was
rain storm followed by half clear off,
without wind enough for couple DAYS
for one to reach out beyond the sunken
lodges that stand guard across the front
OF Casco Bay; but we moved to the outer
Roads all ready for the first chance.
The owners of the cargo, from the port
where bound, had sent to me promise of
graduated gratuities for reporting thereby
certain early dates. They have no idea of
how we are placed and what we have at
stake; they doubtless think that if we are
paid anything for our services it is some
how arranged SO that the longer we are
between ports the more we make in the
year; hence this bounty is offered to deter
lis from ''anchoring nights all along the
way.
While the cargo was being loaded the
dedication of the new theatre was com
pleted by our attendance. 1t is a fine
building and Portland is proud of ''The
jefferson" | dared not mention it right
there, but at this safe distance | may
safely ask: are the acoustics of The Jeffer-
son all right? My ears may have been out
of order, but | am very sure that between
the stage and my nearby understanding
there was somewhere a leakage of sound