The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
MAYF1oWER Will rRr 1T AGAIN.
Another Attempt Aror FIFTY Years % Reach
Geld DiEGinEs with tho Old Smack.

AuotheT Atteu1Dt httoF hHtI hehrb 10 hkeaCn
Geld DiEgings with tho Old Smack.
BUcKsPoRr. Me-. Feb. GA party Of twenty
young mon from this village and orland have
bought the old fishing schooner Maynower
and will at her up for n cruise to Alaska,
whence they propose to start overland for the
Klondike gold fields. The Mayfower was
built more than half q century ago, and, though
she has boon to the Grand Banks nearly q hun.
dred times after cod and taken one trip to the
coast OF Iceland for halibut, she is still stanch
and seaworthy, and with average luck she will
find no trouble in making the voyage around
Cape Horn. Sailormen who believe in luck say
the Mayfiower was never made for a Grand
Banker and declare she has never yielded any
profits to her owners since she started on a
memorable cruise for California In ls49 and
turned back when near the.equator because the
officers in charge changed their minds.
This cruise was the most remarkable ever
made by the Mayfower and also one OF the
strangest every undertaken by any vessel not
engaged in piracy. Early in June. 1s49, she
sailed from Bucksport fully equipped for a long
trip to the Grand Banks. She carriedsa crew
oftwenty.two men and was we'll supplied with
all kinds of ships stores. including salt bait.
provisions. and clothing, She also carried
twelve barrels OF New England rum, which the
Captain had bought for the very low price OF
three shillings q gallon and was taking along
= MI va IL otDC DhnhtTb. IL was raw
and blowy weather when they beat down tho
bay; so the Captain gave the men a little rum
f it iee %or their and sp sEiii . l Thie n he gave S1a them tSG "a a
suit was that when they had worked out into
the open sea the Captain and most of his hands
Stories OF tho great wealth which had been
found in the river beds of California were ia.
miliar to every man on board the schooner. At
least half the hands intended to cross the 18th
mus and make their fortunes as soon as they re-
turned from the trip with money enough to car.
81 'a away e fro ONE nl.Rs'n and felt cit s sHoh insp an a sh iS.
iIuence of the rum than they wanted to aban-
don the Banks and take the Mayfower around
about it.. He h~esitated long enough to take a
few drinks and then indorsed the plan as II it
about and headed southeast to catch the trade
winds, and for three weeks the crew did nothing
but drink rum and throw over the bait for which
while the rum held out Every man fcit himself
certain, to come home rich inside of two years.
Md all Of them them, were re- going Ct to return on The
harbor laden to the E~unwales with gold dust.
When some 500 miles Off the coast OF Africa
crew began to regain their senses. With many
regrets for good bait and valuable time wasted
they pointed the nose of the Mayfower for the
Grand Banks, where they begged and borrowed
ii ip sHq had Si' made Sdeusf ruiz IL f f1ppt Of t q 81. " After am an
poT'4 "n9 fo 1ons thapt tshey; nrics of cd 10 Buf bsa
doubled while they were away. AS the men
sailed on shares in those days. every one profit
Off more than half of them started Tor Califor.
Mia. where some of them got rich and others
sseai t to ste Ss'G the !as ToT .ao w sihGif{ q had {hS Se at,
kept n secret for ten years, was told by ono OF
the crew. 1t has been one of the famous tales
the crew is John Montgomery, who is now an
engineer on a Penobscot River tuR,boat. He
M Mas To- sea and 0ls sas ssa he ss WSs t rs 'o onis e on tae
who did not participate in the revels.