Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-24

Bancrofts History a few miscellaneous
volumes and a dictionary.
1t was on the 9th of April 1895, that
Capt. SlOCum hOisted sail on board the
Spray and put out to sea. He first tOuc he'd a
Gloucester, Mass, where he took on several
small barrels of fish oil with the intention
of using it at sea. in stormy weather, but
the experiment of 'oil on troubled waters
was never made, and the barrels We're
smptied of their contents at Fair Haven,
Conn, at the termination of the cruise.
From Gloucester the Spray continued
north to Cape Sable. From this point the
captain struck out boldly across the At
lantic. His next land was the Azores,
where he arrived on July "a on the 2Sth
ne put to sea again, and made quick run
to Gibraltar. Here he met with something
like an ovation He was quite the lion Of the
hour, the American and English residents
and tourists in particular showing a lively
interest in him and his projected voyage
around the world. Among other notables
he met Lord Brassey, and in his company
visited the Island of Ceuta.
capt. SlOcum had intended to sail down
the Mediterranean, but was warned against
doing so, because of the Riff pirates who
are constantly looting small craft. This
caused him to change his original plan,
and he took the back tack for Perna mbucO
on the coast of South America. From Per-
nambucO lie dropped down TO Rio Janeiro
thus still following the coast to Buenos
Ayras. Here he ran aground. his first mis-
hap since setting sail, though even this in
the end proved a fortunate chance as the
owner of the dry dock at Buenos Ayres Of
fered to dock the Spray. make all necessary
repairs, and pay one hundred dollars for
the privilege. This vas Cant. SlOcum's first
opportunity to turn an honest dollar. and
he promptly accepted the offer. The dry
dock man charged every one who came to
look at the wonderful little craft that had
tWlce crossed the Atlantic, and so made
very good thing out OF the transaction him
self. Leaving Buenos Ayres the Spray
SAILED for a Chilean settlement; called al
Sandy Point, in Patagonia. Hare Capt
SlOcum was warned to keep sharp look
out for the Indians who infest the Straits
Of Magellan and prey upon small traders
or shipwrecked sailors. The little yawl
was five days in making her way through
the straits. She fell in with the practically
disposed savages. and the captain adopted
the trick of changing his clothes every few
minutes to give the impression that she
carried large crew. 1t was a ticklish sit
UatiOn, and he narrowly escaped capture
and probable assassination.
When a Hard Blow Came
At Cape Pillar. the western end of the
passage, a hard blow from the northwest
came on, and the Spray. after buffeting it
in vain, was driven back to the eastern
entrance of the straits. On attempting the
passage a second time Captain Slocum was
more fortunate. In the very teeth of
heavy wind he crept out of the dangerous
channel, and laid his course for the Island
of Juan Fernandez, made famous by Alex
ander Selkirk, the original of Defoe's Rob
inson Crusoe.
Reaching Juan Fernandez. he found a
very prosperous little community of some
thirty-five persons who, before they would
allow their visitor to climb the rocks that
form by far the largest part of the island,
had him eat goats flesh. This, they main
tanned. would give him immunity from dan
ger on the cliffs
The next land at which the Spray touch
ed was on the Samoa group. The run from
Juan Fernandez to Samoa took sixty-tWo
Gays. In this time 600 miles We're COW
cred.
In all his long voyage Captain sIocum
declares he was able to get what sleep he
required At night he would simply set the
yawl on her course, lash the wheel, and
go below and turn in. He encountered but
very little bad weather. and it was this
fact that made it possible for him to leave
the Spray TO herself.
From Samoa Captain Slocum sailed for
New South Wales, Sydney was his first
port. Leaving Sydney he ran down to
Tasmania. From there he doubled back
up the coast and around to Queensland
and then through the Inner Barrier Reefs
Torres Straits and on into the Indian
ocean. Crossing the Indian ocean. he
touched at Keeling. Rodriguez and Mauri-
sailed for Natal. on the African coast
Quitting Natal he dropped around to Cape
Town. 1t was while he was at Cape Town
that he first heard Of the blowing up of the
Maine in Havana harbor.
On the Atlantic for Home
He was now rapidly nearing the compile
ton of his cruise, for he was once more in
the Atlantic ocean. The, Spray covered the
distance between Cape Town and St Hee-
ma, her next run, in sixteen days, and con-
tinued on to Ascension Island.
1t was after the Spray had left Ascension,
and was headed for Grenada that she fell
in with United States man-of-war which
captain Slocum now supposes to have been
the oregon. The stranger signaled him and
asked If he had seen any Spanish cruisers
Captain Slocum. in ignorance that we were
at war with Spain, thought it was some
Joke, and being rather OF a humorist him
self promptly signaled back, mo. but let us
Keep together for mutual protection"
The Spray arrived at Grenada on the
morning of May %. 1898, having made the
circuit of the world in three years and two
months From Grenada she sailed north
to Newport, r. L, thence to Fair Haven,
Conn. and down to New York where she
is at present, and looking none the worse
for her long journey.
Ia.