The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-11-23
OLD-TIME sCHOONERs,
And the Men Who Commanded Them.
[Rockland Courier Gazette.1

was thinking about some of the old
schooners of the famous fleet that for
merly sailed out of Tenants Harbor, and
l found that | began to associate them
with the men who formerly commanded
them For instance, when came to the
schooner Four Sisters, at once there
arose before my mental vision Capt.
Roger Bickmore; the old Volta-Capt.
Haskell, Of whom have only faint re-
meabrance, but who usually called
everyone deacon, and when they denied
the soft impeachment, always said,
"Well, you'd make a-good one, any,
way" the F. Nelson, of Capt. John Amos
Hart, and Edwin, and his famous ex-
preston, ''Give him ten, John Amos!
give him ten! What pretty tug boat"
the Kendrick Fish, of Capt. Jim Shrader;
the Searsville (the Mediterranean fruit
cry, of Capt. Jim Hart; the Georgianna
of Capt. Alfred Rawley, and many other
young captains.
The Clara W. Elwell of Capt. Am.
Long, and Uncle JIM can see him COM
ing up the street, now, wind just abaft
the beam, rubber boots, grind and all,
bound for the market for political chat.
The Irene E. Meservey of Capt. U. K.
Meservey, and my boyhood chum, Fred
die Henderson, who made many voyages
in her before he was called to sail an un-
known, and uncharted sea.
The Leader of Capt. Leazer Barter,
now sailing between the Har. or and Ell
more carrying Uncle Sans mail. The
Golden Rule of Capt. Everyman, for it is
safe bet that more captains sailing out
Of the Harbor had their "try out" in her
as commander. than in any other schoon-
er. My first voyage was in her, with an
uncle in command and my brother in the
fo'c's'le, nearly forty years ago. Like
Admiral Farragut started young.
The M. K. Rawley of Capt. Mad Raw
ley; This was the only schooner afoat at
the Harbor when was there last sum-
mer, and it looked then as though she
would soon join her sister ships in the
''boneyard" The S. S. Bickmore, Capt.
George Long and 'Siah; the Annie Jones,
Capt. Bob Jones; the Earl H. Potter,
Capt. 0. W. Hard Pine Rogers and Capt.
Fred Sherer; the G. w. Andrews, Capt.
Charles Grover, who commanded her
when she sank off Fire Island, N. Y; the
John L. Tracy, Capt. John L. Tracy, for
whom she was named; the Hattie N.
Fuller, Capt. Levi Hart; the Levi Hart,
Capt. Henry Giles; the Sadie Willcutt,
Capt. Ed. Jackson, an old scboolmate
and one of the younger captains; the
Challenge, Capt. John Meservey; this
schooner lived to ripe old age, and even
now some vestige may be seen of her on
the Neck shore. All of my ''Iife on the
ocean wave" was in this famous schoon-
er. The Pushaw, Capt. Edwin Alley.
All of the old schooners had their
characteristics, as pronounced as those of
their commanders. Many time have l
been at the "deckin's s. when vessels
masts were sighted over the neck, and
some one in the assemblage would name
her from the appearance of her rig.
When a schooner appeared in sight
around Southern Island the glass was
trained on her and some wise one was
sure to name her before she got up into
the harbor.
| can see the schooners now as they
were all at anchor for the winter, the
head of the harbor full of them, afoat at
high tide, with the main harbor nearly
full, and dream of the greatness of my
native village as a seaport.
Il remember the black wharves and the slips,
And the sea-tides tossing free,
And the beauty and mystery of the ships,
And the magic of the sea-
"BOSE.'