Ellsworth American., 1912-06-19
I J p. M, and was obliged to ship an

tAAcf AuhU.
AT p. m. tug took us out of the dock
and the pilot took charge, and In short
time We were out past Boston light. AT
four bells (6 o'clockl / took the wheel.
AT 7-30 seven bells were struck. This was
something / had never known on ship
board before, and every man excepting
myself at tue wheel and the officer OF the
deck, filed into the cabin. In a few mo-
ments they were singing a beautiful
sacred song. After the song, there was
reading of the scriptures; then prayer by
the captain. And /, one who had always
had great regard for Christianity, said
to myself: 1t is good to be here.
In seven days we got pilot to take us
into Cape Haitien. The people are nearly
all colored, and speak the French Ian
guage. We were in port but three weeks.
Cape Haitien was rendezvous for Yankee
gunboats during the Civil war, and their
mail was sent to Boston on the Springbok.
We completed the trip in forty-seven days.
On arriving, the owners told me that
my ehum came down to the office when
we had been gone about two hours. Find
ing we had sailed, he went on board
the Race Horse, and the captain wanted
him to go second mate, and he shipped
and went in her. She was reported when
she passed IA through the straits Of Glib
raltar, and was never heard from after.
My chum had induced me to go in the
Springbok, and he himself went In the
Race Horse, which vessel must have been
lost with all on board, the crew consisting
OF twelve men all told.
When we were paid off for the trip,
Capt. Larsen said he would like for us all
to go again; and as we knew the vessel
would be in port only week or ten days,
we told him we would be glad to go. We
hung around the vessel while she was be-
ing loaded, and would be down to her
every day. One day, as we were standing
on the wharf, one OF the men, Russian
Finn, said to me: "You are going second
mate this time, are yon not?" "Not that
/ know Of" / replied. He said: "Mr.
Land, our mate, told me you were"
was the only yankee ON board. Just
then the captain came out OF the cabin
and called me in, He asked me il would
like to go second mate, and told him
would. He said he would give me $50
month, and he handed me $50 treasury
note bearing interest. That was my
months advance, which it was customary
to pay q man when he joined a vessel.
The captain told me could go on duty
the next morning. The next morning l
went TO work, and although under a
foreign flag, there WAS nothing unpleas-
ant. The captain was a fine Christian
man, a member OF Rev. Phineas Slows
Seaman's Bethel church. He had been
presented with a Bethel flag, which, when
in port Sundays away from Boston, he
he would fly from the top gallant mast
truck to let the crews of other vessels
know that there would be services on
board, that all who wished might attend
them.
The services would consist OF sarced
song, prayer, reading OF the Scriptures,
exortstion by the captain, closing with
some familiar seaman's sacred song, that
all might join in the singing.
While we were in Cape Haitien, about
the middle OF April, 1865, one morning,
four gunboats came in sight. All were
decked throughout with American flags
at every place where flag could be set.
We knew that some important event had
taken place; and We soon received the joy
ful news that Gen. Lee had surrendered.
The officers went on shore and got per-
nit to fire a salute the next day at II IN.
The gunboats lay only short distance
from US, and we were completely envel-
oped in smoke from the guns.
The next morning we hove short, then
we made sail, in order to get out before
the sea breeze came in. Before we got our
anchor, the land breeze died out and we
dropped anchor again to keep from drift
ing foul OF other vessels. Just then boat
put of from one of the gunboat and came
under our bow, and passing up the end OF
large hawser, they sang out to us,
snake that fast round your foremast,
heave away on your anchor" As we had
their mail they were anxious for us to be
on the way. They steamed out over the
bar, and we were ready to catch the sea-
breeze as it came in.
In one week we got pilot off High light,
Cape Cod, and the first question he asked
as he came over the rail was: "Did you
hear that President Lincoln was assassi-
nated?' You may imagine our great con-
sternation on learning the facts.
We were soon in Boston, and after our
cargo OF logwood and coffee-and 1 might
add, centipedes and scorpions-was dis
charged, as there was no freight ready to
ship, it was thought best to lay of while.
Our mate was discharged for getting
beastly intoxicated while we were in Cape
Haitien, and was to keep ship while she
was lying by waiting for freight. My
wife and had been making our home in
and as had to be on board
AS ship-keeper, my wife volunteered to
stay with me.
We well remember the beautiful ship,
a l. r. l.s.I