The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-19
Anec6 ote of Webster.

Old Boston school boys of sixty years
ago realize that no greater change has
taken place in Boston than on the
wharves, which in 1910 were all open,
with no sheds built on them as at the
present time. Vessels in the East In
dia trade were locked at India wharf.
w. f. Weld q Co. had their ships
locked at Central wharf. Lombard $
and Hemenway & Co.'S ships were at
commercial wharf. Long wharf was
lined with vessels in the coasting trad;
they had large canvas signs attAc..ed to
the yards stating the port haiIed from
and the port they wanted freight for.
At that time there were no steam
ships, and all transportation was done
by sailing craft. For Instance p s4gn
would read: The schooner Eagle, Cap
tain Smith, will sail on Saturday for
bath, Gardiner an Hallowell The
wharses were favorite resort with the
boys Wednesday and Saturday after
Moons. At that time school kept Wed
nesday and Saturday mornings, and
we mad the afternoons for vacation. In
the morning after school we would de-
eide where we would spend the after
noon, and IL was generally on the
Wnarves. Five out of ten boys went to
sea after leaving school.
At the head of Long wharf. where
the State street block now stands, was
anold hulk of vessel with house
quilt on It's deck; 1t was fastened to the
dock, and this was used by the Hing
nam Bucket Company for a storehouse.
On the side of the house was a sign.
bingham Station Packet" 1t was a
standing joke with us to ask the man
who had charge IL he was the captain
ana when he was going to sail, as we
wanted to ship before the mast,
4 fa
boys TO climb up the rigging of ships
and stump" one another as to who
would climb the highest. There was
one OF these boys who could beat us all
in climbing. we nicknamed him Mon
Key Jack On one of the ships the
down-haul OF the signal halyards broke
snort up TO the flag at the truck. The
captain. pointing to the flag. said: II
Will give any boy that will bring that
nag on deck riinepence." We all
started up the shrouds but Monkey
Jack was up to the royals before we
got TO the yardarm. When he left
school he went to sea, and became mas
yer OF one or the largest clipper ships
that sailed out of Boston.
Captain Mahan of Long wharf had q
fine schooner yacht in which he took
parties down the harbor He often in
vited the boys to take a sail with him.
L remember once he told us a story
about Daniel Webster, as follows:
About o'clock in the morning 7 was
on deck putting the boat In shipshapa
order and swabbing up the deck. I was
goln gto take a party down sailing that
DAY. III was raining quite hard There
was an old fellow standing on the
wharf, with an old cloak and slouched
nat on, under large cotton umbrella.
ne nailed me, asked If l was the cap
tam, and sa.- he woul dixie to coma
aboard supposed he was some old
FARMER from the country who had never
seen salt water before, so l said: Ger
tainly. come right aboard He looked
over the boat a spell. and after a while
came up to where / was and said: Cap
Jam, III you were sal ing ship down the
harbor and another ship was coming
up and the wind was northeast. whic5
side would you sail of the ship that vo,,
were going to meet?" I said. Il wo,,ld
put the helm hard TO port and go to the
windward.' He SCENE dto understand
ana asked me great many questions
thought ne was taking up good deal
OF my time. and answered him rather
short. He thanked me for the inforrna-
ton had given him and babe me good
bye.
II had forgotten all about the old
countryman, when one day. about a
fortnight afterward. a constable came
aboard and asked to see Captain No
court the next day at 10 o'clock as a
witness. 1 could not think for the life
OF me OF any case in court that / knew
anything about. You can Judge nv
surprise when i cav Daniel Webster
ina recognized him as my old friend
mat asked 80 many questions. He was
laying down the law to the court In
great shape, using all the nautical
terms In Bowditch's Navigator. and to
hear him talk. boys. you'd thought he'd
been TO sea all his life.
II appeared that there had been a
collision In the harbor and the owners
were setting which ship was 20 blame
IN court. Webster was counsel FOR o-,a
of the merchants. He introduced me IN
the court as Captain Mahan. one Of tbe1
ablest sea captains that sailed our ~
Boston Wen. boys. you better bsdeve
that turned red as lobster. as 7 was
only skipper Of schooner. / answer.