Arizona state miner., 1927-03-05
SAILS ALL SEAS
in Small Craft
Lone Rover Hasn't Even Cat
or Dog for Company on
His Schooner.

Portland, Maine.-Fifteen years ago
Capt Thomas Drake of Seattle, Wash,
rode out of the West at the wheel Of
a jaunty little schooner, made by his
own hands. And all these years has
the lone rover sailed the seas. Alone
he stands the watches. Not even
cat or dog sails to keep him company.
And Captain Drake is happy and care
free at sixty-three years. His will is
the winds will and his home little
rocking, 35-foot schooner.
In ports all up and down the At
lantic and Pacific coasts and in the
Indies his ship is known as the best.
He takes life as he finds it with each
rising sun, picks up a few cents here
and there selling shells, coral, beads
and knick-knacks, sets his sail and
travels on to the golden port on the
horizon
Captain Drake is a sturdy little man,
standing exactly five feet in his sue
tion sneakers. His face is bronZed
by the salt spray his muscles, steely;
his eyes, clear. He is slightly lame
from an injury received years ago
when he fell from the mast of an old
coaster and broke hip. But he still
is sprightly
Born In England.
The captain was born at Gravesend,
England, with the smell of salt in his
nostrils. The county of Kent has
raised many great men Of the sea and
tales Of their exploits were the cap
tainsr heritage. His earliest memory
is of the great white sails of the
schooners slipping up the Thames
toward London, their holds filed with
merchandise from all parts of the
world The family moved to the United
States when the captain was small
boy, but the love and tradition of the
sea were instilled in him and with his
first long trousers he answered the
call.
But with the passing Of the stately
schooners and the advent of steam the
captain became restless. The snap Of
a sheet in a good wind was life to
him. It was then he built his own
craft and put to sea as sailor should.
His first craft was the Sir Francis
which met grief on the coast of Mex
leo five years ago. mighty gale
picked the little ship up one black
night and cast it against reef. The
captain, clinging to wreckage, was
washed ashore, only to fall into the
hands of Mexican bandits. The out
laws stripped him Of his clothes and
his few valuable possessions. For two
weeks he was kept prisoner, locked
up in a filthy cabin with little food.
Arrival Of federal troops delivered him
when the bandits fed, leaving him
behind.
From Mexico made my way back
to Frisco" the captain relates. ut
was hard, long journey with job
for a day or two here and there and
finally a ship which landed me safe
inside the Golden Gate.
Builds the Pilgrim.
after a few days in Frisco I got
a ship to Seattle. Back home again,
l worked for time. | scraped little
money together and built this boat.
1t took me five months. Everything
she was done and ready to sail l
christened her The Pilgrim. 1t Is
more or less of an adventure, you
know, something rarely done, sailing
about all alone. SO thought The Pill
grim good name for her."
The Pilgrim boasts simple, homely
conveniences. There's nothing elab-
ohn hI1f oh iS fIIrn g
adequately. Two large hunks, desk,
and a little cook stove are her princi-
pal furnishings. compendious log
book is nearly filed with names.
North in the summer and South
in the winter sails the captain, plan
ming to keep just ahead of the cold
weather and the gales. When the
captain dropped anchor in Portland
harbor a few weeks ago he was
headed for the Southern coast, taking
advantage of the mild skies of In
dian summer.
81 have to see America first" he
explained. "When cold weather sets
in Pm going to point her nose to the
West Indies, load up with curios, and
take a trip back to the old country.
From England I'm going to drop down
the French and Spanish coasts to the
Mediterranean. It's a great sea, the
Mediterranean, and I want to sail her
again before l die
Captain Drake has never been mar
ried. The sea was his only bride early
in his youth. 1t has been his COM
panion through middle age. 1t will be
his nurse in old age.