New-York tribune., 1899-04-30
YACHTING.
THE UrowANAs QUEST FOR STRANGE
FLORA IN THE WEST INDIES
AND YrrCATAN

The graceful I-towana recently returned from q
voyage to Yucatan. having borne there party OF
scientists who wished to examine the nora OF ,nat
country At the invitation OF Allison V. Armour OF
the New-York Yacht Club. DR.. c. +. Milspausn
botanical curator OF the Field Columbia Museum
and f. p Allen, official photographer OF the same
institution left New-York on December M anu
sailed to Progreso, in Mexico stopping on the way
at many Of the West Indian islands The story OF
this cruise has hitherto been told owing 10 tne
fact that Mr.. Armour and his guests lett Ne"-io'h
90 soon as the boat returned here.
Dr. Mispaugh collected. In alb $500 specimens
which were sent from New-Orleans to the Museum
at Chicago in bundles OF one hundred eacn' lhese
will be subjected to further examination and ciass-
fcation before Dr. Mlspaugh makes his report At
present 1t Is believed that he has procured seVerai
new species More than thousand Photographic
views were taken by Mr.. Allen. chiefly OF localities
and objects which are almost unknown TO tne
American people. After going as far as possible by
train the party proceeded in carriages into the In
terror OF Yucatan, and were away two weeks from
the yacht.
But in some respects the visit to the Alacrane
Reefs was the most interesting. DR.. Milspaugh
was the first botanst to visit the place 1t Is four
hundred miles due south OF Port Eads DR.. Mills
paugh collected specimens OF the fora on the young
island which numbered only seventeen species
DR.. Millspaugh relates experience In the cur,
on the way to the Alacrane Reefs, which created
some excitement. The Utowana ran into sleep
ing whale. and hit him so hard that the water was
crimson with his blood The shock was heavy
All below hurried on deck, thinking that the
vessel had struck rock. and were pleased TO ma
that the obstruction something more yielding.
Another account given was of the partial wreck
age OF the yacht through a sudden squa that
came Unexpectedly bolt from clear sky.
Through the skill Of Skipper John II. Crawford
the Utowana lost only her foretopmast, foretopsail
and jbtopsail. but she we'll over on her BEAM
l-l.... .A.1t,. Iso
masted II the canvas had not been so promptly
got of her. The Utowana is a three-masted
schooner, fore-and-aft rugged all round, and with
auxiliary steam power capable OF driving her at
eight knots hour. But when out Of soundings
she generally sails under only. She is l9i
feet long over ALL and l55 feet long the water
line. with nearly rs feet OF beam and drawing l41a
feet of water. her gross tonnage being 4l4
DR.. Mllspaugh said that the main object Of the
cruise was TO compare the fora OF Yucatan with
that OF the West Indies and the Bermudas. From
the Bermudas the schooner sailed for Porto Rico.
where General Frederick d. Grant was found In
command OF San Juan. The widow of General
Ulysses S. Grant had a surprise in store for Mr.
Armour and his guests when the Utowana came to
anchor in the bay. Mrs Grant had brass band
present. we'll as a large party of Porto Rcan
society women. With General Frederick Grant
his military staff and number OF prominent citi
OF San Juan she went board the schooner
were cleared and dancing was INDUCED In. and the
scientific expedition lost its serious character for a
while.
The people OF San Juan specially interested
in the folding piano, which is yachting novelty.
on board Mr. Armour's boat. 1t backs up and dis
appears In the most curious way, and big writing
desk vanishes at touch In the same mysterious
manner The tables swung In ball-and- socket
joints to the supports, that they are always
level: and do moi play ball with the dishes when when
the vessel pitches The extension table seats TWEEN
ty-four persons at once and the large dimensions
OF the main saloon may be guessed from this fact.
The room has old-fashioned fireplace and man.
telpiece on which are two large candelabra.
For her extensive cruising this boat has to go suf-
fciently armed. In the armory are twelve krag-
Jorgensen rifles, with sword bayonets and dozen
doube-acton Colts revolvers. The two large brass
carronades deck throw unpleasant ball
that looks Ike n peach, but isn't Hot and cold
water is supplied to all the staterooms, and dyna-
mo furnishes the lighting. In the companion-way
aft is the rack for sporting rifles and shotguns OF
various calibres. patterns and makes. An ice ma
chine makes the ice used on the boat
The Utowana Is fitting out for another voy-
age. this time to Norway and the North Cape.
Mr.. Armour has not yet selected his guests for this
trip. He will sail from New-York about June l.
The scientific expedition to Yucatan was the sec
ond he has taken to that region.