The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-11
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third Atlantic voyage 1888 which failed, however
The marvel is that hampered should venture
to s,a at all and this feeling be intensified by
remembering that of his trips has he had
any human aid whatever-reying on his manned
hands row. steer and sails. cook, and do
the multitudinous duties such undertaking calls
for daily
On June IS, 1900 seventeen years after his miShap
the Grand Banks he sailed from Gloucester, Massa
chusetts for Gloucester England, in the sloop Great
Western arriving at his destination August 19,
sixty-two davS later. His voyage attended
with its share of hardshps and he suffered more
account of his manned condition. His plan to
oncoming ships of his presence to hoist
lanterns his masthead, and other crafts
could understand this signal they would give him
a wide BERTH while he sumbered peacefully in his
little cabin. He was treated royalty 1t Gloucester,
after having had an amusing encounter with the
Superintendent of the Docks there. You cannot
bring your boat in here, )" declared that official,
Blackburn sought to her to 1nooring.
Why" retorted her ''Is she too big?"
No" was the reply, she's too small. " Well,
reioined Blackburn what's your limit? She will not
take up much that she'll crowd out any liner.
Two years later June Q, 1901 he sailed again from
his home in the soop Great Republic, for Lisbon,
which he reached July IS, after passage of thirty
r,ine days. On May 1s 1902 he began nne-rnonths'
cruise through the inland and coastwse waters, using
the soop Great Republic the greater part of the
way. Sailing from Gloucester to New-York. he worked
down the Hudson River Erie Canal and Great Lakes
TO Chicago, thence through the Illinois and Michigan
canals and Mississippi River to Columbus Kentucky,
whence he shipped his boat by rail to Mobile, and
from there sailed through the Gulf of Mexico Bis
cayan Bay, where he sold the soop and purchased
rowboat, in which he made his way to Jacksonville,
thence returning to New-Yorll by steamer.
Reaching his home in February, 1903, the spirit of
adventure infamed him again. and June of the
year he left Gloucester in the foot dory
America bound for Havre, Gibraltar back across
the Atlantic to Florida, and thence up the Mississippi
to St Louis where he intended to exhibit her at the
Fair. The America his smallest boat, and he
met adverse fortune from the start. In storm his
boat flooded, and he nearly drowned while
asleep below. He escaped the but his provisions
being spoiled had to make Carli's Harbor to refit
After sailing again he met similar mshap, and
wettings and exposure brought rheumatism;
he abandoned the voyage and returned home. for,
he put it. "A polar bear could not stand such hard
ships much longer
His successful competitor last year - Ludwig
Eisenbraun German-was driven back in his first
attempt. Leaving Boston Law in the seventeen-oot
dory Columbia, he kept CI i nineteen days, during
which time he covered three hundred fifty miles,
but forced to put back, spent from fatigue and
rheumatism. and landed at Rockport June 49, In
dsrnayed by this, he started again August II in a
boat two feet longer, named Columbia IL. Accom-
panied as far Halifax, Nova Scotia, by Charles
Schuz, who was planning similar singlehanded
trip himself and thus far to gain experience.
1t fortunate for Eisenbraun that he did So for
in crossing Fundy Bay the little craft was swept
bv heavy sea, which filled the cockpit and washed
him overheard, though he, being a good swimmer
managed to regain the boat with the help of his mate.
Leaving Halifax on August IS alone for Gibraltar