The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-01-23
A "REMINISCENCES.
An Experience Such as Was Common Be-
fore the Civil War Leading up to Young
Men Becoming Mariners,

An Experience Such as Was Common Be-
fore the Civil War Leading up to Young
Men Becoming Mariners.
Those who have followed the sea as
profession from boyhood are more or
less interested in the early experiences of
others; and those on record as saving
anything on this subject, usually begin
by stating, Il ran away from home and
went to sea at an early age. /" while the
most of us walked away, because it was
necessary for the betterment of the rest
of the family, and especially the sisters
that there should be more bread winners
and less bread eaters at home. In think
ing over past experiences the writer
called to mind his first as master, which
was under rather trying circumstances,
but not any the less an event in which
we took much pride.
After coastlng quite a little between
Bangor and Boston in lumber schooner
sufficient to learn how to get under way,
beat to wlndward, run before it without
glblng, and come to an anchor, we hap
pened to be out of a job and sought en-
ployment of the late David WATSON, the
Leading citizen of our native village,
west Brooksvlle, Me-, who owned sew
eral coastlng schooners and one old sloop
named the Lapwing This craft he of
tered to let me have to run on shares be-
, tween the above place and Rockland,
Me-, where there was always something
doing in carrying wood to the lime kilns,
which was the principal industry at that
port at the time referred to, namely,
just before the Civil War.
There wasn't rope or sail on board
the Lapwing at that time that wasn't
nearly worn or rotted out, and she lay on
the beach half full of water. But with
the aid of two young energetic shipmates
we pumped her out, calked her butts and
soft places as best we could, rove off
what rigging we could find, bent the
sails. jib and mainsail, loaded our first
cargo of wood at Bucks Harbor. and
sailed for Rockland. During this trip of
several hours we didn't get time to cook
morsel to eat or do thing but handle
the sloop and pump, pump, pump till We
got to Rockland, where we hired the
wood unloaded while we took turns
pumping and cooking our first meal,
which we ate with the water up to our
ankles over the cabin floor, after which
we hauled our leaky craft up on the
beach at high water, where the tide
could rise and fall in her at will.
After we found that the tide would
not lise in the sloop within foot or two
of our berths we turned in and slept for
at least twelve hours, then we shoulder
ed our clothes bags, left the Lapwing to
her fate, took a steamboat to Belfast
and home by small sail packet, and not
until several years after did we crave the
desire again to be captain. That, how
ever, was not by any means our last ex-
perience at the pumps, as some years af-
terward we sailed out of Bangor in the
brig Abner Taylor in the West India
trade, and it became a by-word on that
Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream had
seeped through her seams and had been
pumped back again into the sea.
i Soon after this the Civil War broke
out, berths in steam vessels were plenty,
and for a while our experience on them
was that of a picnic, in consequence of
never having to sound the pumps or use
! a pump brake; in fact, not knowing
whether the vessel leaked or not, as that
was the engineers lookout; and to wash
decks with water through a hose and q
steam pump back of it was Heaven com
/ pared with cur experiences in the chains
of sailing vessel drawing water to wash
decks with canvas bucket, and better
yet the steamer always fetched where
she pointed" For while it seemed
! like an imposition to take money for this
! life of ease when compared with some of
our pas experiences in leaky sailing
craft.
These were valuable for beginner in
| the profession of a mariner, as we'll as
furnishing him later in life with materia
from which to enjoy frequent freside
"reminiscences of the joys and sorrows
! which make up the life of youngstel
starting out to become sailor.-Capt
! George L. Norton, in the Marine journal