Evening journal., 1898-05-27
A REMARKABLE CRUISE.
Made Fifty Years Ago by the Old
Mayhower.
The Aged ship TO lie Rugged Up for
Another Attempt TO Round
Cape Horn for the
KIondiIxe.

A party of 20 young men from Bucks
mort. Me, and Orland have bought the
old fishing schooner Maynower and will
fit her up for a cruise to Alaska, whence
they propose TO start overland for the
Klondike gold fields. The Mayhower
was built moro than half a century ago,
and though she has been to the Grand
Banks nearly a hundred times after cod
and taken one trip to the coast Of Ice
land for halibut, she Is still stanch and
seaworthy, and with average luck she
will find no trouble in making the voy-
ace around Cape Horn Sailormen who
believe in luck say the Maynower was
never made for a Grand Banker and
declare she has never yielded any prof
its to her owners since she started on a
memorable cruise for California in 1s4o,
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 Mayhower, and also
ono Of the strangest ever undertaken
by any vessel not engaged in piracy.
Early in June, 1849, she sailed from
Bucl1sport fully equipped for long
trip to the Grand Banks. She carried
crew OF % men, and was we'll supplied
with all kinds OF ships stores, includ-
ing salt, bait, provisions and clothing.
She also carried 10 barrels Of New Eng
land rum, which the captain bought for
the very low price of eight shillings
a gallon and was taking along to trade
with the other Bankers. It was raw
and blowy weather when they beat
down the bay, so the captain gave the
| men little rum to cheer their spirits.
! Then he gave them n little more, and
still little more, and the result was
that when they had worked out into
the open sea the captain and most Of his
hands were royalty drunk.
Stories Of the great wealth which had
been found in the river beds of Cahfor-
the schooner. At least half the hands
intended to cross the isthmus and make
their fortunes as soon as they returned
from the trip with money enough to
carry them to the diggings. No sooner
had they got away from the land ant
felt the inspiring influence of the run
than they wanted to abandon the banks
and take the Mayhower around to SaI
Francisco. They spoke TO the captain
about it. lie hesitated long enough t.
take few drinks, and then indorseC
the plan as IL It had been his own. Tn,
Mnyflower was brought about and head
cd southeast to catch tho trade winds
and for three weeks tho crew did moth
ing but drink rum and throw over tn
bait for which they no longer had an,
use. 1t was glorious trip while tn
wind held out. Every man felt hiIhsel
certain TO come homo rich inside OF tw
years. and all of them were going to re
turn on the Mayfower, which woul
> snil into Bucksport harbor laden to tn
t gunwales with gold dust
= When some 500 miles of the coast {
Africa the rum barrels went dry, an
|, captain and crew began 20 regain the
, senses. With many regrets for goo
= bait and valuable time wasted the
] rolnted the nose Of the Mnyfowcr fc
J the Grand Banks, where they begge
= and borrowed food and bait enough {
supply their wants until they had mad
q full fare of fish After an UNUSUAL
long trip they returned to BuclIspo1
Z and found that the price of Goldfish ha
= doubled while they were away. As tn
o men sailed on shares In those days ever
0 one profited by the advance. As 500
as they were paid off more than ha
of them started for California, wheI
some Of them got rich and others die
. Chicago Inter Ocenn.