Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-16
"SPRAY" ARRIVES IN PORT
LITTLE BOAT HAS CIRCUMNAvI-
GATED THE GLOBE.
No Larger Than the Vessels That
Carry Oysters on the Po-
tcmac River.

Capt Joshua Socum. the navigator, and
his little yawl, the Spray of Boston, aboard
which alone he has circumnavigated the
globe, going around Cape Horn in heavy
gales, are both in port here, the vessel lying
| at anchor in the harbor- off the foot Of 9th
street. Unannounced, the little craft and
her navigator slipped into port Monday
evening and dropped anchor among the
pleasure craft that dot the upper end of
the harbor.
The cabin Of the little craft is filled with
marine curiosities of all kinds, gathered on
voyage to and from the West Indies,
which has just ended in this port
Capt. Slocum, alone in the Spray, depart
ed from Block Island November 10 of last
year and spent the winter cruising among
the islands that dot the tropical seas. st.
Thomas was visited and stops were made
at Porto Rico and the other islands, Capt
Slocum remaining at each as long as his
fancy dictated before moving on to new
scenes. He was at Kingston, Jamaica,
about the time Of the earthquake.
After spending the winter on tropical seas
going from island to island he wished
and spending his time in visiting unfre-
quented places to gather valuable curiosi-
ties, with which the Spray is loaded, Capt
Slocum, about a month ago. pointed the
determined to visit this city.
This Is not the first visit he has made here
In 1888, after losing a fine ship, which he
commanded, on the coast of Brazil, Capt.
slocum built small sailing boat. only
about thirty-five feet long, and with his
family aboard sailed from the coast Of
Brazil to this city. The craft was on ex-
hibition here and finally found a resting
place in the National Museum. About
three months ago 1t was sent to boat
yard, and Is to be overhauled there.
Capt. Slocum will remain in port here in
definitely while he overhauls and refits his
vessel, and at the same time rests and re-
covers his health, which suffered somewhat
while in the West Indies. Several times on
this last voyage Capt. Slocum was bitten
by poisonous insects, among them a scor-
pion and a centipede, and he is still suffer-
ing from the effects Of the bites.
Filled With Curiosities.
AS stated, the cabins Of the Spray are
filled with natural curiosties of all kinds.
Piled in the berths and in corners are big
star fish, sheels Of all kinds. specimens of
coral curious plants, among them several
fine specimens of the banana and pineapple
orchid, parasites which grow on these
trees and bear beautiful flowers. Another
curiosity shown by Capt. Slocum Is the
seed-bearing pod of the mahogany tree,
something that is seldom seen out of the
tropics Books are scattered about. and q
graphophone occupied prominent position
in the cabin.
AS stated, Capt. Slocum, aboard the little
spray, sailed around the globe, leaving this
country in 1895 and returning in 1898
The Spray is smaller than many of the
vessels employed in running oysters in the
Potomac river. She is only thirty-six feet
nine inches long over ALL fourteen feet two
inches beam and four feet two inches deep,
and Is twelve and a half tons gross and
nine tons net. 1t is not a new boat, but is
a vessel that Is supposed to be fishing
years ago the boat was lying in a pasture
field near New Bedford. going to decay
ithout assistance Capt Slocum rebuilt the
vessel upon practically the original lines.