The Republican journal., 1911-06-29
HOLSTERS and Things.
"reminiscences of Former Days Along the
Maine Coast.
Written for the Ellsworth American by Capt.
2. A. Richardson of Deer Isle, from Tampa,
Florida.

| ClOGluAl
There is theory among fishermen that
the paddle and thescrew of steamers and
power boats disturb the fish and cause
many of them to forsake their former
summer homes in our bays and to seek
more quiet grounds for peace and recrea-
ton, but doubt the substance of such
an hypothesis.
If there be an old cod which Matched
in the shadows of Penobscot bay half
century ago and is still permitted to
spend his summers there, he may have
Observation-Disclosures, and his afternoon
siesta may be disturbed by the unmuffled
discharge of burned-up gas, but doubt
that he is much afraid. He may, in sor-
row, tell his grandchildren of how much
more quiet and home like the bay was in
his youth; of how many less there were
of their enemy, the dog fish; of how
much more abundant fat herring were,
and how much better the times were in
every way before there were so many
trusts, which men call "trawls."
/ 1t is not good to be old-for either man
or fish-if one may not be respectfully
listened to when deprecating the present
times as compared with the past.
And the old lobster We do not know
what he may be telling his young, but it
is my belief that his defamation has been
caused more by some natural enemy in
the sea than by the hand of man. If he
escapes all preying enemies, reaching
maturity and coat of spiked armor, he
at least, fears no screw or paddle wheel.
He is ever ready to back water or to ad-
vance and bite battleship.
! Man need NOT vot ho old 70 toll bou,
plentiful Holsters were in the days Of his
boyhood-when CARLOAD might easily
be hooked out of the eel-grass along the
harbor shore on any low tide of sum-
mer's day-when there was no price on
the Holsters head. Mans taste for this
fish seems to have been lately acquired,
perhaps largely from the fact that we
most appreciate the things that are de-
MED.
This writing was begun, not with the
growing scarcity of fish in mind but
with the intention of reviewing the
dearth of travelling conveniences around
our bays some two score years ago when
steamers were "a whole show" and pow
er boats were unknown.
| There had been at times, and for some
years, steamer running across the bay
from Rockland-generally to Machias, l
think-but in the one summer of 1865
there was none on any route from Rock
land to Hancock or Washington counties
save the Boston-Bangor boat touching at
Bucksport, and her schedule was but
semi-weekly.
| Bar Harbor, as summer resort, had
mot been born, but Southwest Harbor
had two or three small and very plain
hotels. Such patrons as these houses
had that summer generally left the Bos
ton boat at Bucksport and thence by land
and stage.
Capt. Tom Fuller, in silk hat, immacu-
late linen, and with the dress and address
of the old-time gentleman, owned and
sailed large packet between Rockland
and Deer Isle, connecting with the Bos-
ton steamer. His craft was quite COM
! Portable, built and fitted for fast yacht.
She was named Surf or Spray, | have
forgotten which.
| was not entirely grown up at that
time, though at home only for vacation
from foreign voyages. My grandfather
owned a pleasure boat for family use,
and it was generally idle and always at
my command. A friend of mine and l
agreed with Capt. Fuller to use this
small craft and forward any passengers
bound farther east that he might bring
to US. He brought good many, with
that understanding.
We made a pleasing success of the ven
ture, and had many nice people in our
care-and others, with chance to study
humanity at close range, for the boat
was small and there is no place where
human strength or weakness shows off
more plainly than when aioat under more
or less trying conditions.
Our first trip was out to Duck Islands
to carry two clty-men, who were appar
emily New Workers, and evidently strang
ers to Maine. They were not communi-
cative, and my partner became curions
enough to question them. He was told
that they were detectives seeking a
stolen child, and long story about it. |
inquisitive shipmate. They had perhaps
in some way engaged board on the island
and were going there for novelty, rec
reation and -unquestionable seclusion
There was no more than one or two
houses on the island and no one seemed
to be expecting them. They landed just
before dark and then we raced away for
the shelter of Bass Harbor ahead of a
thick, gray bank of fog rolling in for the
night from the open sea.
There was then an oil factory at Center
Harbor, Brooklin, and at times we had
passengers and freight for that place.
One MINDLESS day the Rockland packet
did not reach our harbor until late after
noon, and brought to US a dozen pas
sengers for Southwest Harbor and two
for Brooklin. Our craft was no more
than suitable for day boat, with but
small cabin room and no staterooms.
Reaching Brooklin in the evening it
were better, of course, for all to spend
the night there, though there was no
hotel at hand. One of the passengers for
that place was the business manager, or
perhaps the owner, of the oil works-a
man Of Importance and commanding ap-
pearance. By his management and in
f1uence, all of the through passengers
were fed and housed for the night in the
homes of the village.
After breakfast the trip was resumed,
though the winds were battling all day
and the sun was hot. The whole party of
passengers seemed to be two related fami-
lies, named Chandler and Bracket, from
Massachusetts, almost all young women
and girls-all sis tiers or cousins to eac
other-aIl happy and kind. They blamed
no one for the calm day or the hot sun;
the jug of rather warm drinking water
was not complained of, and having nc
dinner seemed to be quite amusing.
1t was nearly evening when we reached