Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-12-19
THE CHANTICLEER.
Famous Maine Schooner Wrecked,
Last Week.
A Long and Lucky Career Which Closed in
Griei on Camden

III" co&sting schooner ChanticIeer.
which capsi2ed during a squail off
Camden. last Week. and was aban-
donod. and which has since been found
on IincplnVille. broken in two. Was 4
Very old craft. built by Abe story at
Essex in lS4i when vessels Weie
built by the mile and sawed off in
largths 10 suit purchasers purses.
Sh, had been successfully Grand
Banks salt cod fisherman. a whaler, a
Grand Banker. and a coaster. She
was for Years considered Il lucky boat.
her voyages proving profitable for Il
long period.
The Chanticleer was built for the
Grand Banks salt cod fishery ana was
sailed from ProvncetoWn. benjamin
Dyer commanding her, for several
years in that pursuit during the sum
mCr months. and employing her in
the coasting- trade winters. Finally
The craft ran ashore at Truro. soon
after she was tloated. Captain Dyer
decided to engage in other work. ana
Chdnticleer was left without a skip
per.
About this time. however. the whal-
er. sam Cook. Alfred Cook master,
arrived home at ProNincetoWn. and
the firm of II. q :. Cook. owners If
the two vessels named induced cap
tain Alfred TO fit the Chanticlrer f."
whaling work.
TIL. schooner was coppered ana
otherwise prepared for the new huei-
ness. and on the first day Of May
sailed away from ProvincetoWn with
Daniel G. Cook aS first mate and
Jerry Howard as second mate, ard
Cornelius Cook lis boatstecrer. When
only tiv-. days from home whales were
sighted ana Il long chase ensued. The
craft cruiSad on the Charleston
ground found whales plentiful and
arrived AT home port July = with 30
barrels of sperm oil under hatches.
H.. illness of the hOatsteerer who had
taken a lasting cold on the occasion of
tho first chase. having compelled the
return II the craft before all the cases
filed
Tnr -four officers named were on
shares" and despite the fact that
Dniy half cargo OF oil was secured.
each Of the four received $S23 AS Ms
part Of the proceeds of the II weeks
cruise, while tho vessels snare ~ ihe
profits exceeded her cost
In later days persons who locked
upon the Chanticleer's scanty 60-f0ot
length Of side and lS-foot beam could
but wonder where space was found
for the long Whaleboats along her rail
ana for the Try works" and other ap-
purteranceS requisite for the work If
"blubber hunting" about the marrow
decks. or how it was possible 70 Per
form the tasks of cutting in" mine
ing" and 'tryins-out" With any de-
cree Of celeriJy Yet that such work
was speedily ana effectively done is
shown by the perusal of the books Of
Tie firm to which the craft belonged
during the Piovincetown hail period.
A glance at the Chanticieer's bluff,
apple round bows and square stern.
with all the other oddities of her con-
etruction. made one wonder, too. how
such style craft could have made any
headway or gain in thrash to wind
ward in a heavy breeze and Jumping
sea. But they did succeed in working
to windward, and, better still, they did
what the magnificent latter day
schooners not infrequently fail to do
:.
Captain Cook made three splendid
Iy paying whaling cruises In the
Chanticleer. which craft he always
likencd to n cradle in point OF ease and
comfort when in q sea way. Silas s.
Young was the next master. he sailing
the craft as Il 'blackfish'' hunter. ana
with great success. In the succeed
ing Years She was commanded by "a
Iious shippers and was used in various
fishing pursuits. continuing a favorite
Of fortune and earning for her own
ers the splendid sum of $4,000 clear
of all bills-a wonderful win. size of
vessel considered.
Finally The Chanticleer was put
anew into the Grand Bank salt cod
fishery. and her good luck left her.
Voyage after voyage proved un-
profitable and a debt Of $2500 rested
upon the owners when at last the old
craft was hauled upon the beach h"-
side the company wharf and offered
for sale,
The chanticleer was celebrated for
her nlorey-vielding character for a
long time She had another claim to
distinction in the fact that she WGs
SdIlel Oh long ONdStS WIN pi az 'i'eNiis
every timber broken upon one OF her
sides. perhaps the only instance Of the
kind in the worlds history. 1t is a
fact that nearly. all the floor timbers
or ore side of the craft We're broken |
of while the vessel was stranded al
Truro. but the broken ribs We're not |
discovered until after the schooner |
made several voyages.