The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-02-01

poem made the legend OF 1.-THE Captains Wellr
familiar to all Americans. 1t is legend that had
a very substantial basis of fact
Go to Amesbury, Mass. and see for yourself
"The Captains Well' there as 1t has been re-
stored by former State Senator and Mrs James
H. Walker OF Amesbury and presented to tho
Town Improvement society. You can drink from
Its pure waters and as you do SO you will be
reminded not only OF the hero Of WhIttier's bal
lad but Of all the adventurous New England sea-
men who once carried the American flag to all
corners of the globe. For the restored Gap
tain's Well" Is memorial to them
The hero Of the ballad was Valentine Bagley
native OF Amesbury, who, at the age OF eight
cen, went down TO the sea In ships late In the
Eighteenth century and the story Of his adven-
lures can be found In an old book published In
Salem In 1794-"The Journal of the Travels and
Suferlngs Of Daniel Saunders. Mariner on
Board the Ship Commerce Of Boston, SAINT John
son. Commander Which was Cast Away Near
Cape Morebet on the Coast of Arabia. July 10,
1892"
Bagey was a carpenters mate on the Com
merce when that ship sailed from the isle OF
France on january 27, 1902, bound for Madras.
There she exchanged her Boston master. John
Leach, for Rhode Islander, Samuel Johnson,
and on April % set sail for Bombay However,
the new captain, being unacquainted with the
coast" steered too far to the west and the ship
foundered off Cape Morebet July 10.
The crew, "thirty-four souls In number, twenty
whites, thirteen Lascar sailors and one African
black took to the boats and for three DAYS made
their way along the shore. Then they were driven
ashore by storm which drowned three OF them.
Starting up the coast, the II white men, tor
tured with thirst, hunted everywhere for water
Becoming separated they wandered about In
small parties and one by they laid their
weakened companions under bushes and left them
there to die.
On and on they plodded across the burning
sands and Bagey, thinking no doubt OF the damp
fogswept town of his nativity. forced his parched
throat to utter the promise to his God that If
ever he got back to that town he would dig a
well where all who passed might drink
AT last the castaways fell In with a party of
Arab traders. travelling on camels toward Muscat
who took them along. On August 10. six OF
the seventeen arrived at Muscat where most
OF them took ship for home But Valentine Bag
ley evidently was In such hurry. Still seeking
adventure, he shipped on Arabian vessel and
followed the for three years before
going back to Massachusetts
Two years later Bagley kept bis VOW by Dig
cling the we'll and for years from Its cool depths
dubbed the precious water which he had craved
so much on the hot sands of Arabia. But after
his, death the well fell into dsrepar and Its
waters were drained away by excavations for
deep pipe line In 1912 But the restoration four
years ago Of the well and the erection OF the
memorial designed by Leonard Craske an Eng
llsh sculptor living in Boston. has guaranteed
perpetuation of the story OF Valentine Bagley.
real character In ballad OF famous Amer.
lean poet.
q by western NewHpape Union