FIFTY DAYS OF DANGER. THE SMALLEST BOAT THAT EVER CROSSED THE ATLANTIC.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1885, 11 May 1878, Page 5 (Supplement)

FIFTY DAYS OF DANGER. THE SMALLEST BOAT THAT EVER CROSSED THE ATLANTIC.

("Now York. Hernld.") The steamship Canada, of the National line, Arrived at her dock, pier No. 5 1 North River, after a tang voyage from I ondou, having left that pork Jan. 3rd. Among her pawtengers wore Captain Thomas Crapo and his wifo, who made the memorable voyago last summer across tho broad Atlantic from New Bedford, Mass., in a whaleboat, E oner-rigged, with log-of-mutton . Captain Crapo apjKmrs to be a of about thirty-five yeais of age, is *f sturdy build, and wears a brown beard. His face is weather beaton, but a firm mouth denotes the resolution which enabled him to carry into execution his daring plan. In his speech the quick-witted Yankee is plainly traced, and every word has a shrewd, practical meaning. His wifo, pcrhapH, luh junior by a year or two, is a healthy, cheerful helpmeet, aud talks of her successful voyage with a pardonable pride. The twain were found in the freight agent's office on the steamship dock, surrounded fey a group of admirers, who were listening to each dotail of the fifty days 1 Voyage with breathless interest. The reporter was taken by Captain Crapo to the smokiug-rcom on the deck of the Canada, and there the yarn was •pun of tho trip of tho New Bedford. • • "Why did I run such a risk ? Well, I*ll tell you. My first idea was a Yankee one — that is, to beat everything that has been done before. Useless, was it? An long as Englishmen and their cousins are on earth, you'll hear of their trying their ' spunk' against each other. Had I experience 1 Liston to me, young man. I Hailed soveu years in the service of Mossis Kamblo and Ranisdall, of Harrington, Mo., and although I am not a captain in tho American mariue — I never got beyond first mate — I should like to see tho man that knows more about ships than I do. Besides, I'm a captain now — . captain of tho New Bedford — aud I'm prouder of that, and what I've done with her, than if I was commander on the quarter deck of ono of Uncle Sam's men-of-war.' Here tho captain paused, tutd took u few puffs of his cigar. *When I got the first idea of crossing the ocean in the smallest boat that over succeeded in tho attempt I went right to work to design tho craft — re* member, I had made twenty-one trips over the Atlantic, and spent a good many years whaling, — and when I commenced to build the New Bedford people wondered what on earth I wanted such a craft for. My seafaring friends never doubted her qualities. Peoplo said I was a fool, but I didn't care. No, sir, I knew the risk and the exposure and all that, but I went right on until the boat was launchnd. Ono thing kept bothering me.' Tho captain hero bocame thoughtful, and seemed to tako a good deal of comfort in watching the clouds of smoko that were wreathing above his head. 4 Well, captain, aftor the boat was launched T • Why,' he replied, ' ono thing kopt bothering me, for as the timo of my departure drew nigh my wifo declared she never would consent to my going -without her. Good stock, sir ; sha's a Scotch woman, a native of Glasgow. Her father is a Swede, and her mothor was born in Newcastle on-Tyne. I married her at Marseilles, in November, 1872, on Wo.xrd of the Myronus, Captain Higgins. 1 Well, finally T agreed to take her* When I gob ready to start a meeting was held in Now Bodford, my native town, to wish us God speed on our journoy. Rev, Mr Butler presidod, and friends assembled. Cable, comptss, ensign, water-kegs, &., were given me for the voyago. The New Bedford is schooner-rigged, with two masts, orjing leg of mutton sails. She draws only ono foot of water ; her keel is thirteen feet; her total length barely twenty feet; her tonnage 1 62-100. She is thirty-four inches deep. We carried tho American ensign and our own burgee • We sailed from New Bedford at halfpast twelve. May 28, amid the cheers of the 3rowd on Hoach's wharf, and all the vepseU at anchor fired salutes in our honor Wo made our real start, however, from Chathnmat two o'clock on tho afternoon of 2nd June. As my vessel was too small to have a marine document issued to her, I got a letter from Mr J. A. P. Allan, Collector of Customs at Now Bedford, in which, after describing my boat, ho said — ' I therefore desire to m:\ke known to all whom it may concern that Captain Crapo is well known here, and his purpose is entirely legitimate, and he has the good wishes of this community that hi* voyage majjjbo successfully accomplished. ' '-nee fairly out of sight of land we lind enough to do and to think about. Our ohief diet was canned meats, fish , and fruit. Our broad was rather ' hardish,' you may believe. Our provisions wera calculated to last out the voyage, even if more than ordinarily delayed ; but the passage was so bad — more like a stormy, winter one — that if we had not got from passing vessels fresh meat, bread, vegetables, and water, we should have perished. On several occasions we found ourselves in a shonl of wales, who spouted a good deal, and these frightened my wife. Sometimes for two days at a stretch wo experienced such rough weather we had to lay to, attached to what we called a drag or buoy. At such times I could get a little rest, and when tho winds were favorable had to be at the helm the whole time. Once I kept at ray post seventy hours without rest. My wife scarcely got a good night's rest during the whole voyage. ' On June 19th we spoke the English barque America in a heavy gen, latitude 43deg. 42 rain., longitude, 50deg. 10

mm. On the 21st we ipoke the stoamcr Batavia, bound from Liverpool to Button. There wai a heavy gale blowing, and my notes snowed that I tended the drag for eighteen hour* at a trotoh. On the 23rd a Swansea brig offered to tow us into port, but I did not see it in that light, although the nen was running mountain high. At eleven on the morning of the 25th my wife and I | boarded the Amphitrite, u bark bound from Bremen to Now York, and here wo were received with greut kindness, and on leaviug the captain gave us provisions and a couple of bottles of wine. The officers of a good many other vessels we met between this date and July Bth were also kind. On the latter date we were alongside the English steamer Denmark, from New York to London, and were given pro. visions and two bottles of brandy. On the 15th, during a gale, the German barquo Astronom spoke us, and the cuptitin asked if we wanted assistance. Shortly after our rudder was twisted off, but I rigged a new one. On the 21st we sighted Wall Rock' light, off Land's End, and at half-past five p. in that day we passed tho light, anchoring at eleven off Newland, Penzancc. At midnight I turned in for sleep, having been out on duty for seventy hours, and the next morning (Sunday) the * missus' and I went ashore. And that, sir, is a true history of the trip of the New Bedford. 1 "