St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-10-25
SAILED ON THE AMERICA.
Capt. Henry Hoffman, story Of the
Winning OF the Cup.

America, in 1851 and returned with the
international trophy This is Capt.
Henry Hoffman, who was the youngest
member Of the crew, being only l5 years
old. He had run away TO sea from his
home in Dantzig Prussia. four years
previous. and had bis training before the
mast. AT 63 years Of age Capt. Hoffman
is still keen OF eye, firm OF chin, square.
shouldered and so fond OF the wind and
weather that his eyes snap when YOU
ask him il he would not like TO help sail
the Columbia in her coming race
"rhatI would. he says. "rdioin the
crew tomorrow, IT could get away
from business"
"She was wi eli in any breeze" be
will tell you. when asked about the
America. "and every one oi rs icll In love
with her the Minute We stepped on the
deck. Ii took dozen men 90 handle
her, not counting Capt. Brown. our
skipper. and. two mates. Most pl us
had been az sra. aud thr othcrs we're 9lf
hands AZ navigating the mlot-hoats
about NeW YORK hafbof Capt hfuNn
hiuseH bad this berth for many yesrs
aud hs c0aid sal faflt 49, r-- -
hrs. hates eez-.s. re VAS a good laa.
--r. aud t vas desc to bis uhucnsc that
we bang together 80 wtN hF told ua
thf boat was butt isr q syndicate,
headed vs. Commodore Stevens ~ the
New York Yacht Club who was . dead
game sport. by the way We came On
beard several times. aud looked ~ over
yefy csftiully Bows 2e can clean up
anything that floats, be said. and o..
dercd % some SUPERIOR ram fhis was
after We had bcateu numbcT Of sloops
en- trial races down the bay and word
came 60 make ready tor an ocean trip.
There Was not = man Who diG not icci
htilc uuCertais az this proposition. for
crossing Ia small beats was rot A. coH.
mon then ~ aow. and the America vas
only 100 leet over al aud % icrt across
the beam. Bot When tho Skipper asked
II anr one vas whtc-hFerrd enough 90
stay behmd not a mau sung Oat. soon
as w. got undef NaY the boat showed
she was lust qBcrn. We seldom used
tousois i0f there was enuugh urefrc 60
Keep 81 rOiuR without them. and though
VIZ struck heaFg weathef twtcs we never
iclt in danger
ION puiung 10 az Cowcs We were
boarded br ueany every small boat BEE
che harhor Capt. Brown bad called us
au aii before mstiug port and cautioned
ne against talking. You needn't .sy
anything a1out cor centrcboart uer
Whsf ~ ifsE BE- said. adding th 90 Nj
stevens had 81 rel 10 sh anything in
Enlanf ava there would ~ a race. Not
8 day iasscd thei the dcck I'D not swarm
Wiih visitors. ~s.A l.arr % thf cfew were
'-id - 81 ses thst they did not pry Goo
muck la TACT. thfy kept so close that
We lost the hrst races Ne were iu.
"Aou knoW, Gsp, ~ fGiat - NJ 90,
g-th svix bhnk 1T the eye, THAT s0ule-
times you want to pitch a stove over
board when YOU are getting a yacht into
sailing tum and Il - not convenient TO
have spectators about Well, when the
day came for the cup race. we had the
boat cleaned from stem 20 stern. Wedid
this before che English recruits came on
board. Those chaps never forgot that
race III bet. You see, twelve men were
not enough to handle the boat IN race,
and the skipper had six 90 ashore and
hire six BrItishers, who were turned over
for US to watch
1--WE didn't like the looks OF them very
Were going to have trouble with these
John Bulls, reported big quartermas-
ter named Connors. Not il you know
your business" replied the captain. One
OF them suggested that the Euglishmer
be divided up so that not more than two
would be together at one station, and
this was done. They were surrounded
and under such vigilance that they could
not do anything crooked.
"The morning OF August % broke will
a clear sky and soft breeze from the west
and before ten O'Clock fifteen boats, OF al
lengths and sizes, had gathered about us
As the Aurora went by man9uvring, he,
crew were hosting the mainsail. Wher
they got abeam a little cockney starteC
up the old song. "A Yankee Ship SaileC
Down the Bay and the rest OF the crew
came in on the chorus. Pull, boys, bull
BOYS, pull. You'd better save that shee
for tow, called OF our men, but tn
Aurora had passed aud did not hear il.
81 fancy its usll need the tow SAFE
one OF our English recruits.
"'Let me give you some advice. salt
the second mate, who overheard the re
mark. Don't let the skipper hear yoi
say that
"When the sigma was given, the breez
blew very light, and some OF the Englis
boats forged ahead, among them th
Aurora. We crowded on every inch q
canvas, aud not man OF US who did no
pray for it to ireshen. Word was passe
quietly to see that the Englishmen d.
not shirk. Capt. Brown stood by th
English pilot, for him also we had t.
take on, as the course round the Isle {
Wight was new to us, and we had to rel
entirely on the pilots guidance. Cap
Brown watched him like a hawk, but
want to say that be acted on the squar
with us all the way. With little irrsl
euing, we began to pick up, and our goo
boat soon fairly leaped along. 4 say
remarked Scotchman who was ono
the six taken on az Cowes. DO we q
some prize money il we win this for you
You see that flag up there p answcrs
the mate, pointing 20 the Stars an
Stripes. Well, that's what YOU &c wofl
ing for. That's all the bloody prize 70
get. Before that our crew had gwen a
thought to the subject. aud no one woul
have mentioned it again II the skipp'
had not after the race. Americans a
too damn independent 20 do this {,
prize money he explained. but you
done so well that there's a small divs
coming. As a matter OF TACT. we cas-
got few dollars aud our passage mon.
home
When the breeze got fresh We simp
walked away from everything 50 sgh
IT.. Euul,ah voahts aa..,,aT -. - .fa...