Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-05-24
VETERAN MARINER GONE.
Tribute to Capt. jerome r. Tapley
of West Brooksville.
TBy G. L. Norton, Of the Morine journal. New
York;

York;
Capt. Jerome P. Tapley died at his home
in West Brooksville, May 10, in the
seventy-eighth year Of his age. He had
been q semi-invalid for several years, and
at the time OF his demise life had become
more or less burden to him. Capt. Tap
ley was one OF eight brothers Of the we'll
known family OF that name, seven OF
whom were shipmasters Of prominence
when the Civil war broke out, and after
ward followed the sea until retirement be-
came necessary through a natural desire
for it or advanced years.
The writer sailed in early life with Cap
tains Thomas, George, Abram and jerome
Tapley, respectively, in the West India
trade, and their strict early training pre-
pared him to endure the hardships OF a
saiiing-ship life cheerfully without COM
plant, although there were many ''stunts"
put up to us through strenuous discipline
that took Drawn and courage to perform.
One OF the most hazardous, BRAIN rack
ing and soul-trying short voyages was
undertaken by the writer in the brig
Abner Taylor with Capt. jerome Tapley
year or more previous to the Civil war in
the capacity Of second mate. After load
ing . cargo of ''shooks and slaves" at
Portland, for Kingston, Jamaica, we sailed
on winters morning in q northwest gale
of wind under reefed fore-topsail and
foresail.
That night while scudding under this
short sail a sea struck the brig on the quar-
ter, she broached to, and barely escaped
going on her beam ends, shaking her
deckload OF to ieeward, however, after
which she righted. After getting her on
before the wind and the wreck cleared
away, the pumps were sounded, and two
feet Of water was found below deck. The
pumps were started, and from that time
until the vessel reached Kingston it took
1900 strokes OF the pumps per hour to
keep her free. Capt. Tapley and the first
mate steered most Of the time after we
had been knocked down, while the rest
Of the crew pumped when not handling
sails and obtaining required rest.
After discharging our cargo, and it was
been discovered and stopped, the Abner
Taylor sailed for Black River. port to the
westward of Kingston, and there loaded
logwood and pimento for New York,
which passage took Us the extraordinar-
lily long time OF sixty days to perform, and
came as near being the end OF the brig
and her crew as it was possible to be and
escape.
The first gale we encountered the old
leak renewed its activity, which with ad-
verse winds and heavy seas caused all
hands to pump until they were completely
exhausted and discouraged, and finally
ending in our being invited into the cabin
by the captain and there 70 down with the
ship, thereby ending our suffering with
our lives.
We had thrown oursel res on the cabin
floor in as comfortable . position as posi-
Bile under the conditions, when Capt. Tap
ley declared he would feel much better il
he had chew Of tobacco,and began search
ing his stateroom for plug, where hidden
behind the drawers under his berth he
discovered several bottles Of Jamaica rum
which he had forgotten, and bringing
them into the cabin, said: 'sThis will
warm rs up little, boys" and removing
tho cork from one OF the bottles, took
swig himself, passed it to the mate, and
so to the rest OF the crew until each OF the
nine in number began to feel its invigorat-
ing influence, when Capt. Tapley said:
SIT we can get rid Of that deckload Of
logwood, we may be able to ease up on
that leak" No sooner said than done.
The gale was abating, and in . few hours
with only one breathing spell to take an
other round of drinks from q second bot
tie the last stick Of logwood went over the
side, the pumps were manned, and in
about two days, with fairly smooth
weather, we were rewarded for our re-
newed efforts to save the ship by the
pumps sucking.
All our light sails had been blown away;
fortunately we had no further use for
them, - . southeaster which was no
zephyr overlook us, and without further
hardship we reached Sandy Hook, as it
had blown itself out, just sixty days from
otAck uASeH, Jeuhlco. n8Q almost IOr-
gotten to mention the fact that during
this trip we had been supplied with pro-
visions twice by passing vessels.
This was an eventful voyage, and al
most anyone but Capt. jerome p. Tapley,
our late esteemed shipmate, would have
abandoned the old hulk and gone on
board the first vessel that hove to ct our
request for provisions. II there il another
man living who has ever sailed with this
strenuous shipmaster, he will bear us out
in the statement that the more furious the
elements the less concerned he appeared
about what might be the result
Fear was trait IS foreign to his nature
as idleness, which he never knew. His
active see life entities him to eternal rest,
which we trust he has already begun to
enjoy. In the meantime, our sympat hies
go our to his family, relatives, and
friends in West Brooksville, who have
lost husband, father, friend, and citizen