Strange, but True

LIFE AND ADVENTURES

OF

CAPTAIN THOMAS CRAPO
AND WIFE

4»

NEW BEDFORD
CAPT. THOMAS CHAPO, PUBLISHER
1893

Copyright 1893, by Thomas Crapo

PRANK WOOD, PRINTER, BOSTON

PREFACE

$

THE voyage of Captain Thomas Crapo and his wife in
a dory boat from New Bedford, Massachusetts, to
England, although several years ago, is as fresh in
the memory of the people as though it was but yesterday.
I did not see them or the boat when they sailed, but I
was anxious to get the daily papers, in order to find out
if they were reported, and was more than pleased to see
that everj- time they were reported they were both well
and in good spirits.
And at last the papers announced the arrival of the
captain and his plucky wife at Penzance, England.
People did not think so much about the captain making
the attempt as they did the idea of taking his wife along.
And as the voyage was ended without any serious dis
asters the newspapers of every country loudly applauded
them. Since it was reported that the attempt was to be made,
I was veiy anxious to see the hero, but never did, to my
knowledge, until about five or six years ago, when I in
company with my wife attended one of the churches on a
Sunday evening. When near the close of the evening
services the pastor extended an invitation to every one
present who would like to testify for Jesus. Several
responded and gave their testimony, when presently a
gentleman directly in front of me arose and made a few
remarks. After concluding his speech the pastor spoke
in this manner, as near as I can recall it : Thank God,

4 PREFACE
after years of trials and tribulations on the briny deep,
and crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a small dory, Captain
Crapo at last acknowledges his Superior, and now stands
before the whole world a living witness for Jesus Christ.
Praise the Lord.
I was all attention at once ; the one I had longed most
to see was before me, and I could scarcely keep my eyes
from him. As I had sailed the ocean myself I could
readily foresee some of the dangers they would have to
face in that little boat, and his wife being with him, when
there was scarcely room for one and turn around, made
the matter worse, as they would naturally encounter gales,
when the captain would find it all he could do to look
after the boat, to say nothing of his wife.
After their arrival they had a little book printed about
the voyage, which they sold for five cents, and everyone
seemed to want them. I got one through a friend of mine,
and eagerly devoured its contents.
A short time ago I was introduced to the captain by his
wife, whose acquaintance I had made nearly two years
before, and I found him a modest, unassuming man, and
not addicted to bragging about his exploits.
In talking with him on several occasions I made up my
mind that no adventures had been written that could equal
the personal experience of the captain of more than thirty
years at sea, and I proposed the idea of publishing his
adventures to the world.
After carefully considering the matter he at last con
sented to do so, as many people had advised him the same
a great many times before.
But, says Captain Crapo, the people of to-day are
looking for something romantic, that never really existed,
and would probably think my book too tame, as I will not
have anything in it but truths whether it sells or not ; and

PREFACE 5
therefore, kind reader, you can be assured that every word
enclosed between the covers of this book about Captain
Crapo and his wife are facts, and no fairy tale to mislead.
So with the kind permission of our friends everywhere
we will begin our story as told by the captain himself, as
correctly as he can recall the facts ; many of minor im
portance, no doubt, have passed from his memory long
ago, but those coupled with his experience written in this
book he will probably remember as long as he lives.
The Author.

CAPTAIN THOMAS CRAPO

THE CAPTAIN'S STORY

$

CHAPTER I
I WAS born in the city of New Bedford, June 27th,
1843. My mother died when I was but eight years
of age. I attended the public schools until I was
about fourteen, -when I ran away from home to go to sea.
I had been desirous of becoming a sailor for a long time,
but my father had always objected, so the only way for
me to do was to run away from my home, which, as many
others had done before, I saw no reason why I could not
do the same.
The more I thought about it the more determined I was,
and as the whaleship Marcia was nearly ready for sea I
left my home and shipped aboard of her as cabin boy.
The Marcia was commanded by Captain Billings, and we
sailed from New Bedford on the 25th of August, 1857,
bound for the North Pacific Ocean.
As the custom has always been, the crew was shipped on
what is called a lay. I was to receive the two hundred and
fifteenth, which meant that of every two hundred and fifteen
barrels of oil caught by the ship one belonged to me, or
the equivalent in money, and the bone in the s%me propor
tion. And as the outfitters, termed sharks, usually charge
a hundred dollars for clothes that could be bought for
twenty-five dollars at any clothing store, the sailors cannot
justly claim anything from the ship until their bill, with
interest, is paid. And the clothes they sell to the poor
sailors as a general thing scarcely hold together until they

O LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
get into deep water, and the tobacco that can be bought at
any tobacco store for fifty cents, they charge the sailors one
dollar per pound. Anything to rob the poor, misguided
sailor, who, as soon as his money is gone, is off again on
another voyage.
I was informed that my duties were to keep the cabin
clean, wash dishes, black the captain's boots, and make
myself generally useful.
Our crew numbered thirty-five all told, which was the
usual complement for a whaleship that swung four boats.
Our crew consisted of captain, first, second, third, and
fourth mates, four boat steerers, cook, steward, cooper,
carpenter and cabin boy, and twenty-one seamen, some of
them able seamen, ordinary seamen, and the balance were
green hands making their first voyage.
As usual when a ship sails, relatives and friends of the
crew accompany them down the bay, returning wth the
pilot on the pilot boat. The pilot while on board has full
charge of the vessel, and remains on board until she is in
deep water with plenty of sea room. The captain assumes
command as soon as the pilot leaves. A large number
went down with us and everything was bustle, and com
motion, and one could scarcely tell which of them had
shipped for the voyage, as they were up and down the fore
castle, and in fact around all parts of the ship ; and dinner
being served while they were on board, they partook of
it with the rest, and many of them seemed to like the hard
tack, as it is called.
At last our friends were called to accompany the pilot
back to New Bedford. With handshaking and wishes of
good luck they depart, and we proceeded on our long
voyage. On seeing them depart, and knowing it would be
four long years, if ever, before I should see any of them
again, caused me to regret the step I had taken ; but, alas !

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 9
it was too late. I was booked for four long years, and no
way to do but grin and bear it.
While gazing longingly at the receding shores of my
birth I was aroused from my gloomy thoughts by the
captain, who, in a loud but pleasant voice, summoned all
hands in the waist of the ship. Not knowing where it was,
I followed the rest, and as they stopped in the center of the
ship I did the same, concluding that to be the waist. After
all hands had gathered there the captain stated very plainly
to us that every one on board must obey the order given by
the officers, and do their duty to the ship and themselves.
He wished to see everything pleasant at all times, and if
any trouble should arise to report promptly to him and he
would attend to it ; for, said he, we are as brothers while on
this ship, and our main object is whale oil, and each and
every one of you must keep a sharp lookout for the whales ;
and in order to remind you of it I will offer as a prize a
quantity of tobacco to be given to the one that raises the
first whale.
After he had finished talking, the officers proceeded to
choose their boat's crews, each of the officers as they rank
— first, second, third and fourth mates — choosing one at a
time until they were supplied, those not chosen to act as
ship-keepers while the boats were down for whales, or if
anyone was sick or disabled to take their place in the boat.
Then each one is instructed what oar they are to pull
and what other duties were expected of them.
The first mate's boat is called the larboard boat, the
second mate's the waist, and the third mate's the bow boat ;
the fourth mate's is called the starboard or captain's boat,
and is generally used by him when he wishes to go after
whales himself, and is also used for gamming purposes.
What is meant by gamming is for vessels to meet in their
travels across the ocean, when the captain of one will take

IO LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
a crew and row or sail, as the case may be, over to the other
vessel, which brings the two captains together. The mate
of the ship visited takes a crew and goes back, which brings
both first mates together. The sailors are always on the
lookout for a gam, as many times they hear from home and
stories are told, songs sung, and a general good smoke all
around, and generally the cooks are ordered to get up a
special dinner or supper for all hands ; sometimes in good
weather vessels will gam for several days.
The crews of the first and third mate's boats are called
the port or larboard watch, and those of the second and
fourth the starboard or captain's watch.
Having been assigned to watches, the port watch was
sent below, and the starboard watch remained on deck
making sail and coiling up rigging, as night was fast
approaching. At half-past six the watch below had their
supper ready to relieve the watch then on deck at seven
o'clock. I watched the steward get the sidelights ready
to be put up in the rigging, one green and the other red,
where they remain until daylight. When the clock in the
cabin indicated seven o'clock, the boat steerer that was
steering struck the bell hanging just behind ~ him eight
times, when the watch below came on deck and those on
deck went below, to remain until called at eleven o'clock.
On taking charge of the deck an able seaman took the
wheel, the one relieved giving him the course to steer, and
another was posted on the topgallant forecastle to keep
a sharp lookout ahead, the watch being in charge of the
first and third mates, who walked the quarter deck, and,
as is generally the case, the crew are called aft quite often
by the command of haul main braces, in order to turn
her sails to the wind.
At nine o'clock the man at the wheel strikes the bell
four times, when another takes his place, the one relieved

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE II
instructing the one relieving him what course to steer,
and another of the watch relieves the lookout by taking
his place.
At eleven o'clock the wheelman strikes eight bells,
when the third mate usually calls the second and fourth
officers, one of the crew calling the watch from below.
When they are all on deck the watch relieved goes below
to sleep until three o'clock, when they again muster on
deck, as watchers are on deck four hours and below the
same. Before morning I was not only homesick, but seasick
as well, and if I could only got on shore I don't think
anything would ever tempt me to try it again. Being
cabin boy I slept in the cabin, which was far superior to
sleeping in the forecastle, where the sailors are always
cramped for room, and seasickness in such a packed-up
place must be awful.
I did not have to stand watch, but every time that bell
rung for the first few nights I heard it.
The next day the officers and boat steerers got out the
whale lines, and began to splice them in order to have
them long enough to suit. Then the harpoons and lances
were ground, the sailors turning the grindstone. The
long and short handled spades are ground, and we were
ready for whales, each boat steerer supplying his boat with
four or five irons and lances ready for use in case they
are needed.
The lookout rings were also put up, two at the fore
mast, two at the main and two at the mizzenmast. The
officers and boat steerers keep lookout at the main and the
foremast hands at the fore and mizzen. The captain also
generally stands masthead several times a day.
Masthead lookout is relieved at four and eight bells
through the day, and during the dog-watch from four to

12 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
six o'clock in the afternoon ; both watches are on deck at
once, and are generally kept busy by washing the deck.
A boat's crew consists of an officer, boat steerer, one
man at the stroke or after oar, one at the tub, who, when
a whale is struck, must immediately dash water onto the
line to keep it from getting on fire, a midship and bow
oarsman, making a list of six all told.
A whaleboat is supplied with the following articles :
one large tub of line ; one small tub of short line ; four or
five harpoons ; three or four lances ; a lantern keg with a
lantern, matches and hard-tack in it, to be opened only
when fast to a whale all night or out of sight of the ship ;
a bomb gun and bombs to shoot into a whale and explode
inside ; a mast and sails ; paddles ; a keg of water to drink,
also a small piggin to drink out of for a dipper ; a hatchet ;
short spade ; sheath knife and a drague, to make fast to a
whale if possible when a boat gets stove ; and several other
small things, which, coupled with the oars and six men, fill
the little boat, about twenty-eight feet long, pretty full.
The paddles play quite a prominent part in a whaleboat,
as in case of light winds the crew sit on the gunwale and
paddle as hard as possible after the whales ; but it must be
done without a noise, as whales are easily startled, when
off they will go like the wind.
During the first five or six- days I remained below most
of the time, being too sick to be about, as anyone that has
ever been seasick would know, and how I longed to be
at home ; and as I said to myself many and many times,
if I was there I would stay and be contented. Yet every
one on board was kind to me and cheered me all they
knew how, but that was not what I wanted ; I wanted to
go home to New Bedford, but as I began to feel better I
was more contented, only the water and victuals did not
suit me, yet I fared better than the sailors.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 13
To those that have not been to sea I will say that fresh
water put into new casks in hot weather is not much of a
luxury at any time. After it has been in the cask a few
days it gets ropy and stringy, and is by no means pala
table, not even after it settles and works clear ; it still has
that flat, nasty taste, and is enough to turn some people's
stomachs. And the grub, as sailors say, that is still worse. Just
imagine for a moment the cook taking a piece of salt
meat from the cask, salted with saltpeter and soaking it
all night in salt water to freshen it, and then boil it in
salt water, and after boiling skims the grease that rises to
the top to make scouse, as it is called, for the crew.
Scouse is made in this way : put a quantity of hard-tack
into a canvas bag and break it up with a hammer and put
it to soak in water over night ; then for breakfast warm
up the grease and cut up some of the meat and mix it
all together ; surely to see it you would think it rather
uninviting to make a dinner of, yet sailors as a rule get it
to eat every morning, and the same mixture baked, which
don't improve it any, for supper. When you hear sailors
speaking about lob scouse, this is the mixture they mean,
and dandyfunk is nearly the same, with molasses put in to
tone it up, as extra. In order to get a change the sailors
catch albicores and skipjacks, which are usually very
plentiful, as they follow a ship for months.
Meal cakes, more commonly called Johnny cakes, are
very good for breakfast, but sailors don't think so, as the
way they get them is the same as the farmers give it to
their chickens, merely mixed up in warm water, and full
of lumps as large as a bird's egg. This is to be eaten
with molasses, which is furnished in small quantities, and
codfish balls, the fish usually being so rancid as to be unfit
to eat, as it will not hold together ; but we get it pounded

14 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
up in water, and as potatoes are usually quite plenty you can
add them to suit yourself. There is no necessity of having
a salt shaker as everything will be found salt enough.
At dinner you get baked beans, which is generally quite
palatable, and one from each watch divides them, so each
will receive his share. And the next day for dinner you
get soft-tack, a sailor's name for white bread, which is
seldom soft, but very hard and heavy, and many times
very sour to the taste ; should you offer one to a common
tramp I do not believe he would accept it
Plum duff is a Sunday dish, and the plums are usually
dried apples, and is the best dish on board of a whale
ship, especially if it is made good ; but many times the
owners ship very poor cooks, and that, of course, means
poor food ; but if any fault is found the captain usually
calls your attention to the fact that there is plenty hard
tack in the main hold, and you can eat that, which is not
much satisfaction at best, but one must do it or go hungry.
By breaking up hard-tack in water sweetened with
molasses and a few drops of vinegar, called swanky, you
can relish quite a breakfast for a change, and sailors
usually get very fat on it.
As each man washes his own dishes after eating, the
cook is not bothered with them ; and as they usually con
sist of a small pan and tablespoon and quart tin cup,
with sometimes a knife and fork, it does not take them
long, as they generally pour in a little water and rub it
around and wipe it and it is all done. The sailors are
not bothered with butter dishes, as they do not get the
butter, but I had some in the cabin, as there is where they
do get it, also in the steerage among the boat steerers.
On account of such poor food the sailors many times
exchange clothing for better bread and butter or anything
good with the boat steerers.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 1 5
I do not know what the tea is made of that is served
for supper, but the bucket the sailors get it in will be
about a quarter full of large leaves, and look as though
they had been gathered in an apple orchard in the fall of
the year ; yet the tea was better than clear water. The
coffee served for breakfast is made of roasted barley, and
is quite good.
But to proceed with my story. About twenty days
from home we sighted the Azores Islands, more com
monly called the Western Islands, inhabited by Portu
guese. We ran in at Fayal, one of the largest, but did
not anchor, as our stay was to be short ; the captain did
not deem it advisable, as it is considerable trouble to haul
the cable from the locker amidships and put the necessary
turns around the windlass and shackle it to the anchor, as
a large quantity of slack is needed to anchor in safety,
besides the water is one hundred and twenty feet deep and
upwards, which takes a large quantity of chain in order to
give the vessel a good scope for holding fast ; so we
shortened sail and let her drift around, called laying off
and on.
On arriving the captain lowered with a boat's crew
and went ashore for letters, fresh meat, potatoes, onions,
yams and cabbages, and so forth, the crew remaining in
the boat until his return. He also shipped three Portu
guese for the balance of the voyage.
After the supplies were put on board we squared away,
bound south. I watched those islands as long as I could
see them, as it seemed good to me to see land again, as I
had not yet become reconciled to my position, but they
soon disappeared from view as we -continued on. While
in the latitude of the equator (termed the line) a large
school of sperm whales was sighted. The captain imme
diately called to the officer in charge of the deck at the

1 6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
time to call all hands and get the boats ready for lower
ing ; the watch below are awakened, jump into their
clothes as quick as possible and get on deck. The first
thing to be done is to put the tub of line (which is
usually kept on a rest on the rail close to the boat made
for that purpose) into the boat and stand ready to climb
down the side of the ship to drop into the boat as soon
as she strikes the water. The mate in his place in the
stern and the boat steerer in the bow are lowered in her to
cast off the falls as she settles in the water. The first mate
starts lowering when the rest follow, when the falls are
cast off the boat drops astern of the ship, when the mast is
stripped and the sail set, and off we go after the whales.
I stood at the rail watching the boats all the time, wishing
I was in one of them, as I was very anxious to see a whale.
No sooner had the sails been set than the sailors took
their paddles and each boat strove for the lead, and excite
ment ran high, each crew doing their best to beat their
companions. As soon as the boats are lowered the captain goes up to
the foremast head and signals to the boats with a flag kept
for that purpose. When the whales are up he hoists the
flag and takes it down when they sound. When the
whales are ahead of the ship the flying jib is hauled down ;
when on the bow the crew of the fore topgallant sail is
hauled up ; when on the beam the mainsail is hauled up,
and when on the quarter the head of the spanker is hauled
in, and when astern the whole spanker is brailed up ; so
by keeping an eye on the ship the occupants of the boats
can keep run of the school.
The cooper stands at the main topmast and hoists an
other colored flag, when a boat makes fast, so the other
boats will know, and be on the lookout in case assistance
is needed, as many times a boat is kicked to pieces,

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE I >J
especially sperm whaling, as a sperm whale is a fighter,
and as he has teeth in his lower jaw (being the only whale
that has teeth) he many times makes good use of them by
biting anything he can get hold of. Many times they will
settle in the water with their head up straight, and snap
their jaws together in a fit of rage, which would snap a
man's head or leg off in a jiffy, should he be unfortunate
enough to get near it. Many times a boat is stove, leaving
the crew to look out for themselves for hours, or until the
ship can get to them, as the other boats are supposed to
pursue the school as long as there is any show of getting a
whale. Everything went well until one of the boats drew along
side of a 'good sized whale, and the boat steerer took his
stand with his harpoon poised ready to dart. As the boat
drew up in the position that suited him he darted, and as
luck seemed against him, his iron either fell short or went
over the whale, which so frightened him and all the others
that they made off with the speed of the wind. So the
boats returned to the ship, the crew very much put out
with the boat steerer for not making fast.
Whales usually swim along in groups like a line of
soldiers, and the boat steerer always picks out the fattest and
largest one, and in order to get him he must go between
the flukes of two of them, which he must be very careful in
doing, as when struck the whale raises his flukes high in
the air and brings them down with a bang, intending to
crush his slayer, and should both do so at once he would
be in a rather uncomfortable position, as they .would prob
ably swamp the boat if they did not strike it ; or, as has
been done, turn upon the boat and smash it to pieces,
causing broken limbs and loss of life.
We again, after hoisting up the boats, continued south,
nothing occurring worthy of mention until we arrived off

1 8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
River Platte, when a heavy gale sprung up, which tossed
us about like a chip. I did not feel very comfortable, as
I expected we would go to pieces or be tipped over in
the heavy seas which looked like mountains rolling
towards us, and the ship rolled so and took on so much
water, you could almost swim on deck, and I could hardly
keep my feet, but thank Heaven it did not last very long,
and I began to feel better, yet wondering in my own mind
how a ship could stand such thumping, rolling, and pitch
ing. Those are the times a man with a cool head and
good judgment is needed to save the ship from destruction,
the loss of many occurring on account of the captain not
being competent to do so, as many are promoted to the
captaincy through favor more than experience, but Captain
Billings was competent and knew what he was about, and
I made up my mind to brave it out without any more fear.
After the gale abated and the seas quieted down a little,
we cruised around for a few days but did not see any
whales ; so again sailed south, and in rounding Cape
Horn the weather was terrible, the seas rolling mountains
high, and the wind howling through the rigging. I can
not describe it as I would, but as many times vessels are
driven back and try for weeks for a favorable time to
round it, my readers can form a little idea what it must
be. But, though tossed about like a cockle shell for hours,
we at last arrived in smoother water on the other side.
We then squared away for the island of Mocha, on the
coast of Chili in South America.
On arriving at Mocha we lay off and on as before at
Fayal, the captain again going ashore for letters and pro
visions. When out of sight of the boat three of the boat's
crew deserted. When the captain returned to the boat he
was informed of the fact, when he again went ashore and
offered a reward for their capture. The boat then returned

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE

I9

to the ship, when the sailors told us about the men running
away. After the captain had informed the officers of the
desertion he sailed a short distance from the island, to make
the deserters think he was going out to sea (deserters gen
erally put for the mountains and remain hidden until the
ship sails, when they come down among the natives),
when about nine o'clock in the evening signal fires on
shore announced the capture of the deserters. The first
mate, with a picked crew, at once started for the shore,
and soon returned with the runaways.
Runaways are generally punished by losing their watch
below in the daytime for a period of time fixed by the
captain, and only an allowance of hard-tack, and a stated
quantity of water to drink, during the time.
We then squared away for Talcahuna, about three days'
sail away. We saw plenty of whales, but the weather was
such as to render it impossible to get them, so it was
deemed advisable not to lower the boats.
On arriving at Talcahuna the cable was hauled from the
locker amidship and rove around the windlass, and when
shackled to the anchor was ready to drop into the sea in
order to hold the ship against the force of wind and water.
When in a satisfactory distance from the land the anchor
was let go, when the vessel soon came to a standstill ;
then the sails were furled, rigging coiled up, while the
captain went on shore for letters and supplies as before.
After the supplies were put on board, and the ship put in
shape, the crew was given liberty on shore, the starboard
watch being the first to go, the captain giving each one
one dollar and ten cents each day. Each watch had three
days on shore. I do not know how much the boat steerers
got, but I suppose about five dollars each day.
During our stay ten of our crew deserted. The captain
again offered a reward for their capture. We then hove

20 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
up anchor and put to sea, and on our return, a few days
afterward, we found only one had been caught ; the others
were not so easily fooled, probably sure the ship would be
back after them in a few days. So I did not see them
again, as we squared away for the Galapagos Islands.
The barque Peru, of Nantucket, being in port for water
and provisions, we sailed in company. When off the
islands we sighted whales, the boats were got ready for
lowering, and on account of so many of the crew deserting
I was told to go in the third mate's boat, which I was
more than pleased to do, as I was very anxious to see a
whale close to.
And fortune favored our boat, as we soon drew along
side of one. I watched closely every move made by the
boat steerer, as everything now depended upon him. As
we drew closer to him the boat steerer stood up and braced
his knee in the bow chock (a place sawed out for that
purpose), then placed two harpoons in a crotched stick,
fitted to hold them handy to reach, and as the boat got
close to him he darted first one and then the other, the
irons striking the whale just forward of his hump, and
quickly sank to the sockets in the thick blubber. As the
irons struck him he raised his flukes high in tlie air and
brought them down with a bang which nearly swamped
us, and it was lucky for us it didn't strike the boat, as it
would have smashed it into pieces. He then started to
run, and how we flew tlirough the water ; the water fairly
boiled along the sides of the boat. I never rode so fast in
my life before. He kept up his mad pace for a period of
about ten minutes, when he slowed up. The third mate
then exchanged places with the boat steerer (as the mate
always does the killing) , and ordered us to pull in the line
which draws the boat up to the whale. And great care
must be taken not to get in the coils, as the whale is liable

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 21
to take a fresh start at any time, when woe to any one who
gets afoul of it. We hauled close up to him as he lay
quite still, and the third mate proceeded to lance him, and
soon had him spouting volumes of thick blood, when we
drew away from him and let him have his flurry, which
was of short duration, when he rolled over on his side, fin
up, dead. We then drew up alongside of him, when the
officer cut a hole in his flukes and made the boat fast to
him, at the same time signalling the ship with a small flag
carried for that purpose, when the ship bore down and
made him fast with what is called a fluke chain run
through a hose pipe forward and around his flukes ; it is
then made fast to a bit and we have him secure. Our
boat was then hoisted up and we were again on board.
We then made preparations to cut him in. A stage for
doing so is swung across the gangway in the waist, the
heavy falls made fast around the mainmast head, then the
turns are put around the windlass and all is ready for
cutting him in. The officers take long-handled spades
and cut the thick blubber, the crew heaving at the wind
lass, and as they heave it rolls the whale over and over so
the officers can cut it off ; the large strips as they are hove
in are called blanket pieces. A boat steerer then is
lowered into the whale by a rope under his arms to reeve
head needle, so the head can be made fast and severed
from the body, which usually sinks as soon as it is stripped
of the blubber. The head of a sperm whale is hoisted on
deck unless it is a very large one, when it is lashed along
side. As the best oil is found in the head great care is
exercised in saving it, but many times they sink and are
lost. It is surprising to see how quick the sharks will gather
around a dead whale, and while the boat steerer is over
board the officers are kept busy trying to keep them away

22 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
by cutting them with the long-handled spades, as they are
very ravenous.
After we had completed cutting the whale in, we began
to cut him up into what is called horse pieces, which are
then put through a mincing machine, which scarps it
similar to the pork in a pot of beans.
The pots were then got ready for use by filling them
about two-thirds full of the case oil from the head (sup
posed to be the brains of the whale), which is sometimes
bailed out of the head in buckets ; then the fires are lighted,
an officer being in charge of the boiling. After the head is
all tried out the horse pieces are put in, and when the oil
is all out of them they are screened off and put into a scrap
napper to use for fuel, some always being kept to start the
fires with. As the pots fill up the oil is bailed into a copper
tank, called the cooler, and as that fills up it is then bailed
into casks prepared by the cooper. I eagerly watched all
the process it went through as it was new business for me,
and after it was all finished I heard it made about thirty- five
barrels of oil ; so you see that with the two hundred and
fifteenth lay it did me no good, yet it was a good start.
We continued to cruise around for a period of ten or
twelve days, but as no more whales were seen and in a
calm the ship was drifting toward the shore, the captain
ordered all the boats down to try to tow her away. We
pulled hard all day until about four o'clock in the afternoon,
when a light breeze sprung up, which gave us a lead off
shore, when the boats were ordered back to the ship. After
hoisting them up we trimmed the sails and away we went,
clearing the land in safety.
As the breeze held on we headed for the Sandwich
Islands, about twenty days' sail away, and after a pleasant
run we ran in and anchored off the Island of Mahe one of
the group. After fresh water and provisions were put on

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 23
board we were again given liberty of three days each.
While there I asked permission of the captain to go forward
before the mast, as it is called, with the sailors, which he
permitted me to do, as he had shipped a Kanaka boy in my
place. I then considered myself a sailor at once. I moved my
chest from the cabin into the forecastle, and then had to
stand watch, my trick (as it is called) at the wheel and
masthead with the rest of the sailors.
I was assigned to the port watch and the first mate's boat,
and was to pull his stroke oar.
While anchored there many of us received letters from
home, from relatives and friends, which to a sailor is a
luxury, as it carries their minds back to their school days,
and many little things are brought to mind, and to think
they are still remembered though thousands of miles from
home, ofttimes brings tears of gratitude to their eyes, and
many of them are read over and over again. While out of
port it is no uncommon thing to go below and find a sailor
reading and pondering over a letter from a father, mother
or sweetheart. And they are eagerly looked for as soon as
the captain after going ashore returns, and the glad look
leaps into their eyes when he calls aloud their name.
Again, on the other hand, there are those that do not receive
any, and while others do, you can almost picture their feel
ings by watching them ; their heart seems to be held in a
balance expecting to hear their name called when it could
jump for joy, and as there are none for them they turn on
their heel as though a heavy weight was hung to them.
Before leaving Mahe the captain shipped enough Kanakas
to complete his crew on account of those deserting.
There were about fifty vessels at anchor in the harbor
while we were there, mostly whalers in for water, provisions,
and to give the sailors a run on shore, and as we met a great

24 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
many of them we had a good time. Our third mate, a
Portuguese named Lewis, was taken sick, and the captain
gave him his discharge, and shipped another man in his
place. After the crew had all had their liberty of three days
each, we hove up anchor and started for Honolulu. Upon
our arrival the captain went on shore and sent a lighter
out to us to take the thirty-five barrels of oil to send home
to New Bedford. These so-called lighters are large boats
built on purpose to take casks of oil from one vessel to
another, or on shore, as many times vessels are in port
waiting for a cargo of oil, and it is very easy to lower into
a lighter and take it to them, when they hoist it on board
and away they go.
After discharging we started for Kodiak, on the coast of
Kamschatka, in the northwest part of Alaska.
We cruised in company with several other vessels about
three weeks, all the time being in sight of Mount St. Elias.
We saw whales several times, but owing to heavy weather
and they being to the windward we were unable to get any.
While cruising around a dead right whale was sighted.
We lowered for him and took him alongside, and while
cutting him in we found a harpoon in his blubber marked
Montezuma (all whalers mark the name of their vessel on
the harpoon, so if found, those finding it will know what
vessel had owned it, as they would be considered the owners
of the whale should they come across him), and he proved
quite a valuable find by stowing down about one hundred
and fifty barrels of oil and fifteen hundred pounds of bone,
without the trouble of chasing and killing him, which
might have proved disastrous to us, as he must have been
a tough one, on account of being struck already by the
Montezuma's crew and then lost. No one knows but
what he stove their boat to pieces, or killed or maimed

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 25
some of them. But be that as it may, we had him now in
casks safe from harming anyone.
After a few days of leisure we again sighted whales ;
the boats were again lowered and off we went, each boat
working hard for the lead. Our boat was again high
hook, by fastening to a large cow whale, which ran so fast
that we were soon out of sight of the ship ; and as she
continued to run it was out of the question to think of
hauling line on her, and we were getting further and
further away. The mate deemed it advisable to cut the
line and let her go, which he did. After watching her for
a few moments we turned about and started back in the
direction the ship was in when we saw her last. (I neglected
to say that each of the officers carry a small compass in the
boat, and if there are signs of being run out of sight of the
ship, they note the direction she was in when last seen, and
in a short time we could see her mastheads.) We kept
on. When within three miles of her we ran across two
monster whales. We immediately gave chase, and suc
ceeded in making fast to one of them. After running a
short distance he slowed up and we soon had our boat up
close to him, when the mate began to lance him in good
shape and soon had him spouting blood quite freely ; when
just as the mate was nearly ready to back off, the boat
steerer, through carelessness in not dipping his steering oar
properly, and a large wave coming just at the time, threw
the boat on top of the whale and capsized us all on his
back, and it is a miracle that any of us lived to tell the tale,
as he could have lashed us all to pieces in a few seconds,
especially maddened as he was by being struck with har
poons and lances ; but strange to say he merely settled in
the water leaving us afloat. And owing to the water being
so cool, and I had so many clothes on, I went under twice
and was going down the third time, when one of the crew

26

LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF

reached out an oar to me, which I eagerly grasped with all
the strength I had left, and was pulled up on the bottom of
the boat where the others had clambered for safety. The
others seeing our predicament started for us and took us
to the ship, and then put for the whale, as the mate had
already given him his death wound before capsizing.
They had no trouble in securing him.
As soon as 1 got on board I hurriedly made a change of
clothing, the others following my example. It was nearly
daylight when we got him made fast alongside, but he
proved a good catch worthy of all the trouble we had, as
he was very large and fat. We had just about finished
cutting him in when a gale sprung up which lasted about
six days, which made it hard work to boil down, as the
ship rolled so we could only fill the pots about half full.
But we finished at last, and after cleaning up we found he
had stowed down about three hundred barrels of oil and
three thousand pounds of bone.
Whales were in sight all the time during the gale, but
it was no use to lower for them, because we could not get
them alongside providing we got one or more, so no
attempt was made.
After the gale abated we captured three large ones with
out anything occurring worthy of mention. After cutting
them in we cruised around about three weeks without see
ing a spout of any kind.
Then the captain concluded to run into Cook's Inlet,
thinking he might find whales there. The inlet is very
large and dotted with a large number of small islands ; the
tide runs very strong. We saw several whales, and struck
one but lost him. We then ran further in and anchored.
The mate with his boat crew (I being one) went ashore
on one of the islands. We went along a very narrow path,
in single file, for a distance of nearly two miles, when we

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 27
arrived in sight of four or five huts or shanties, which
proved to be an Esquimaux fishing station.
The shanties were built of logs and shingled with bushes
scattered all over the roof. The sides were about four feet
high, and the top went up to a peak like an ordinary
house, the most noticeable feature being the inside. On
entering one of them we found bare ground for floors and
a fire built in the center, with the smoke going out through
the door and between the logs. Inside were also found
several mounds built for the children, at least we thought
so, as each of them contained a child from four to eight
years of age, and to stand a short distance away you could
hardly tell whether it was a child or a dog's head sticking
out. They seemed to enjoy the situation as well as we
did. We traded hard bread with them for salmon, which
are found in large quantities and of unusual size, many of
them weighing twenty or more pounds. After getting a
quantity of them we again returned to the "vessel. While
on the way back the wind began to blow quite hard, and
by the time we got on board it was nearly a gale, which
increased until it was a regular hurricane, the seas rolling
mountains high. We tried to heave in the anchor, but
as there was so much strain on it, it broke the windlass,
which caused all the chain to run out of the locker, and
all that held was where it was shackled around the main
mast. And it is a fact, yet many may doubt it, with our
heaviest anchor down weighing about twenty-five hundred
pounds and seven hundred and twenty feet of chain
attached to it, we drifted seventy miles to the leeward.
And as she was drifting toward a lee shore, the captain
ordered the royal and topgallant yards and then the top
gallant masts sent down, which was very dangerous work at
such a time. This was done on account of their holding

28

LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF

so much wind aloft. The next order was to reef the top
sails and set them. He then ordered the cable slipped,
which meant the loss of the anchor and all the chain
attached to it. But he was looking for the safety of the
ship and crew, and would willingly sacrifice a large num
ber of them if found necessary to do so, to ensure the safety
of the vessel.
By slipping the cable as we did was the means of saving
our lives and the ship as well, as she barely escaped the
breakers. Had she once got into them it would have
crushed her as quickly as you could a blown eggshell by
stepping on it. After clearing the point we had plenty of
sea room, and the captain ordered the vessel laid to, which
was done, and she rode out the balance of the gale admir
ably, after which we had better weather.
As it was now nearing the close of the season of 1S5S, the
captain concluded to make for the Sandwich Islands. About
four days before our arrival we sighted a school of sperm
whales. The boats were lowered, and each of the four
succeeded in capturing one. We took them alongside,
and cut them in, when we again had plenty of work, as it
is a case of little sleep and plenty of work while trying out
whale. The crew generally get about six hours' sleep in
twenty-four, until the blubber is all tried out. After cut
ting them in we proceeded again on our course, and soon
arrived at Mahe, and for fully twenty-four hours after
anchoring we were engaged in trying out, the four stowing
down about one hundred and thirty barrels. We then
hauled alongside of the merchant ship Yorick, of New
Haven, Conn., and put all our oil and bone on board of
her to send to New Bedford. After completing the task
of discharging our oil the crew were again given liberty.
The captain discharged the second and third mates and
shipped others in their places.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 29
From there we sailed for the South Sea Islands, south
of the equator. We first sighted the Caroline Islands.
We went ashore and traded hard bread, cloth and other
things (the captains of whalers usually carry articles to
trade with the natives) with the natives, for cocoanuts,
pigs, chickens and other eatables. We cruised among the
islands for a period of three months, going ashore on several
of them, but not getting any whales during the time. We
then sailed for the Marquesas group. Seeing two whalers
at anchor in Magdalena Bay we ran in and came to an
anchor. We then took on wood and water. The island at this
time being inhabited by cannibals (wild Kanakas), we
traded old boats to them for wood and let them use the
ship's axes to cut it with. While cutting wood for us, one
of the natives, not being skilled in the art, cut his leg
just above the ankle. In seeing one of their friends badly
hurt they all clustered around him. Several began rub
bing his leg as hard as they could from the knee down,
which caused the man to bleed to death in a very short
time. While rubbing his leg his comrades were calling
him a great brave in their own tongue.
After he was dead they placed him in a sitting position,
placed his old flint-lock gun (traded for with some whale-
ship) between his knees with his hands grasping it. A
woman then sat down beside him, and began fanning him
to keep the flies away.
We stayed there about three weeks, and when we left he
was still in the same position, and how much longer he
sat there I am unable to say. When we left he was all
bloated almost out of recognition.
While we were there the ship Europa and barque
Nerva were in for wood and water, and for some reason
the natives seized the boat belonging to the Europa and

3° LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
refused to give it up. The three captains held a consul
tation on the subject and concluded to fire on the town.
Accordingly our ship, the Marcia, was hauled in shore as
close as was deemed advisable ; we then put springs on our
cable fore and aft to hold her in position. We then got
our old cannon from the hold and loaded her, putting in
old nails, spikes, bits of iron, in fact, anything that would
do any damage, and let her go. We fired, I should judge,
about fifty times, when the old chief was seen coming
off to us in his canoe. We ceased firing and he came on
board, and as soon as he stepped on deck we seized and
held him until the boat was delivered up to the owners.
A Kanaka that was on board was dispatched on shore to
tell the natives of the situation, and veiy soon the boat
was seen making for the Europa. After she was delivered
we let the old chief go, and as soon as he was well away
from the ship we hove up anchor and left, not daring to
stay there any longer, not knowing what the natives might
do. We started for Revolution Bay. This bay is in the
Island of Wacohoo, one of the same group. Here again
we had liberty, the captain giving us cloth, flints and
other things to trade instead of money, as the natives
there had no use for money. While some were on shore
others were painting the ship and making other necessary
repairs. Albicores and skipjacks are very abundant among these
islands, and we would catch a number of large ones and
salt them down. It is good sport catching them. All you
want is a piece of strong wire bent in the shape of a
hook. Tie a white rag to it and drop it overboard. It
hardly touches the water before they grab it. As they
usually swim along close to the top of the water they are
on the lookout for something to eat. Many of them are
very large, weighing fifty or more pounds. I should

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 3 1
judge their flesh is far superior to our native cod. And
again another dish that sharpens the appetite of a sailor
is porpoise balls. When the lookout at masthead cries
out porpoises, right under you will see an officer or boat
steerer grab a harpoon and make it fast to the jib down-
haul, or any rope handy, and climb out on the martingale
(the span chains under the jib boom) and wait for a good
opportunity. As soon as it presents itself he lets go at
once, and if fortunate enough to strike him the crew soon
have him on deck, when he is easily killed and hung in
the rigging, where the cook can get at him. The cook
usually cuts off a large quantity of the best part of him,
and after chopping it quite fine, seasons it well and rolls
it up in balls (like fish balls), and bakes or fries them,
and they are very palatable, and I would not mind having
some for my breakfast in the morning.
While the ship was at anchor here I and one other of
the crew and one from another whaler took leg-bail for
the mountains, not caring to stay aboard any longer. The
natives soon got after us, setting the tall dry grass on fire
to drive us out, thinking we were in among it, but were
unsuccessful in dislodging us, as we were not there. We
remained in the mountains two days and nights, when we
went to another village about ten miles from where our
ship was anchored. On arriving at the village we saw
only two men, but there were quite a number of women.
They acted as though they were pleased to see us, and
would jabber to each other, probably wondering where we
came from. Presently I noticed the two men talking
quite earnestly, and occasionally looking in the direction
we had come, and shortly after they went to the shore and
started off in a canoe. I was suspicious at once, and made
up my mind that they were on the way to inform our
captain about us and get a reward. I spoke to my com-

WHALING SHIP mARCIA LEAVING NEW BEDFORD IN 1857

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 33
panions about it, but they only laughed at my fears,
saying, " Don't fear ; they will never blow on us ; we are
all right now." The more I thought of it the more
determined I was that I was right, and as it was nearly
time for the boat to return, if such was the case, I told
my companions I was going up to the water hole, where
we drank on our way down, to get a drink, advising them
to follow me, but they remained firm and I went alone.
After quenching my thirst, as it was very hot then (and
anyone not used to the climate wants to drink all the
time), I went higher up, probably three hundred yards,
and lay down where I could watch the approach of any
boat. In about an hour, I should judge, I saw our ship's
boat come in and take my companions back to the ship,
just as I thought they would. I lay very quiet, and soon
heard the two natives hunting for me with a dog. He
came quite close several times, so near, in fact, that I could
hear him sniff, sniff, trying to smell me out. But not
finding me they soon gave it up. The sun was scorching
hot, and how I stood it I don't know; but as soon as
darkness settled over the island I again went to the water
hole and quenched my thirst. And after the intense heat
of the day it is a wonder I was not sick from drinking so
much. After satisfying my thirst I started up the moun
tain and down the other side, and as I noticed a sort of
cave I crawled in and slept through the remainder of the
night, I do not know how large it was or whether there
was anything in it, as I did not explore it, but left as soon
as daylight broke. While wandering along I espied
several cocoanut trees, whereupon I decided to climb one
and get some of them. A cocoanut tree is not a very
easy tree to climb, as there are no branches to take hold
of, all the foliage being in a bunch at the top. But I
succeeded in climbing one and gathered several of the

34

LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF

nuts, which, in my hungry state, were very delicious. After
I finished eating them I went a short distance, and again
lay down out of sight in the tall grass. And very soon I
heard two distinct voices, which I concluded were from
two or more of the natives looking for me. (I remained
very quiet and the sound soon ceased.) I remained very
quiet and shady until after dark, when I started towards
the village where we came ashore. The ship was still
at anchor off shore. I made
friends with the king, who hid
me until the vessel sailed ; but
as she sailed the next morning
I was not put to much incon
venience. In order to insure
my safety the king had one of
his underchiefs put their sacred
mark on my arm between the
wrist and elbow, which is
called a tarboo. Anyone with
this mark on him is safe on
any of these islands. It is a
very queer looking insignia,
and I never could form any
idea what it represented. It is pricked in with sharks or
some other kind of teeth in a very crude manner, and is
not much of a treat to sit and have it done ; but if it was to
be the means of my safety, I would not object to having
it done, and as I was in their power I could not help
myself anyway, for if they took the notion they would
have tattooed me all over, as most of the natives are
covered with marks hard to distinguish, yet they answer
just as well for them. Their style of dress is generally
unique, being merely a strip of bark soaked in water and
pounded until it is nearly as tough as leather. This is

-TARBOO

«%=?

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 35
called a tapper, and is worn around the loins, the rest of
their bod}* usually being naked. Some of them trade
with vessels and get clothes. Captains usually carry a
supply of old clothes on purpose to trade ; old-fashioned
coats, vests, pants, and old-style hats, including beavers,
are a novelty among them. And to see the way some of
them put them on would make you split your sides laugh
ing. I have seen the old king make quite a number of
changes in one day, and would only wear one article at a
time. To see them with pants on and nothing else does
not look so queer, but when they put on a vest or coat
or an old beaver hat they do look comical enough. Just
imagine to yourself how it would seem to you to walk
along the street and meet a man all tattooed with India
ink, with a strip about the loins and an old high hat on
his head, bracing back as though he owned the world,
and after passing him meet another naked all but the
strip and an old coat, and another with an old vest. I
was with them three months, and soon learned to talk
quite well, yet I had to laugh whenever I came across
them dressed up. Again, many of them shave one side
of the face and let the beard grow on the other, which is
the most comical part of it all.
Their food consists chiefly of what is called poi, yet pigs
and chickens are quite abundant.
Poi is made from breadfruit baked on hot stones and
covered with ashes. When done the outside is taken off,
when the fruit is pounded up fine and mixed with water,
which forms a dough. It is then laid away in a trough
or hollow stone to sour, as the more sour it gets the better
they like it. They then pound up a cocoanut and squeeze
it through the husk, which forms a cream. When the poi
is sour enough they sit down and put two fingers in the
dough, then in the cream, then into their mouths. I was

36 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
not used to eating that way, but of course I had to follow
suit. The poi as they ate it was too sour for me, so I
made a fresh supply for myself as often as I chose.
The natives were at war with each other while I was
there, and it would make one laugh to see them get up
on the mountains a mile or more apart, and blaze away
with their old flint-lock muskets ; and they would continue
in this manner until one or more is killed or wounded,
when peace is again declared. This was in the year 1858.
I had been on the island three months when the barque
Greyhound, of Westport, Mass., under command of Cap
tain Cathcart of Nantucket, touched there, and wanted me
to go with him. And I was anxious to go, but the old king
would not have it ; he wanted me to stay with him. I was
tired of their mode of life, as I could not write to my
parents or friends, and they of course would not know
whether I was living or dead ; so I meant to join the
Greyhound, if possible. At last, after considerable par
leying, Captain Cathcart offered the old king some paint,
paint oil, hard bread, and lead to make bullets of and a
mold to make them in. This touched a tender spot, and
the king consented to let me go.
I lost no time in getting ready, as I did not know
whether the king would change his mind or not, and I
did not feel safe until I was on board ; and as soon as
I and the captain arrived on board he squared away for
the coast of California, and as she had not anchored we
only had to sheet home her sails and off we went. We
cruised off Cape St. Lucas for a period of about four
weeks, but did not see any whales. We went on shore
in several places and got clams and mussels and other
shellfish. We then sailed for the Maria Island, on the
west coast of Mexico. We anchored and went on shore
for wood and rabbits. Talk of rabbits, my friends, you

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 37
never saw such a sight in your lives unless you have vis
ited this island. They were so thick when I was there
that all we had to do was to knock them right and left
with sticks we carried for that purpose. Some people
will take a gun and one or more dogs and tramp all clay
from daylight until dark, or in snow sometimes a foot
deep, and the thermometer many times below zero, just
to get a shot at one or more of these litttle inoffensive
creatures ; and yet here they are as thick as sand fleas in
summer. We stopped the wholesale slaughter after we
had a large pile of them, as we did not want to take the
lives of any more than we wanted to eat. We took on
board, I should judge, between four and five hundred, and
we all had a treat while they lasted. Their tender flesh
was a luxury we had not dreamed of having, but with a
large crew on board they were soon gone, as none, to my
knowledge, ever refused their share when it was sent for
ward to them. From there we sailed for the Galapagos
Islands. We cruised around a short time without seeing
any whales, -when the captain concluded to run to the
island of Albimar. On arriving there we dropped anchor.
After everything was put in shape, about two thirds of
the crew went ashore, taking with us boat sails to make
tents of and water to drink and cook with, as fresh water
cannot be found there. After fitting up our temporary
camp we started for the mountains after turpin, which are
very numerous, and are not found on any other island to
my knowledge. Turpin are a species of turtle, the shell
being in large checks like an alligator skin, and their
flesh is unsurpassed as food for soups and stews ; its equal
cannot be found. The liver is far superior to any kind of
meat I ever ate. It is as large as a beef critter's (from a
large one) , and is many times superior to it in any way
you choose to cook it. In order to get them we had to

3^ LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
go high up on the mountains, as that seems to be their
roaming ground. They are black in color and move very
slow. We did not disturb the large ones, as we would
have had to kill and cut them up and carry the pieces
down on our backs, as many of them will weigh, I should
think, nearly a half of a ton. So we caught smaller ones,
none weighing over five or six hundred.
We went hunting them every day for a week, and as
they are so clumsy and move so slow, made it an easy
matter to capture them. We built a pen to put them in,
and while on shore lived on them mostly, and used hard
bread from the ship for soups and stews and other ways ;
the cook dished it out to us. The small ones we caught
we carried down to camp on our shoulders, but we had
to drag the larger ones. They are perfectly harmless and
never known to bite. We caught about a hundred during
the time. At the close of the week we took them on
board. Their weights would range from about five pounds
to five hundred and over. We put them on deck and
between decks, and let them crawl around as they chose.
It was all of six months before they were all gone. I
never knew one to eat or drink a drop while they were
on board, and yet they looked as fat as a ball of butter
when they were killed. I do not know what they live on
on shore, unless it is grass and bushes or some kind of
herbage that grows on the mountains. They surely do
not drink water, as none is to be found on the island.
The island on the lower portion is mostly pumice stone,
grass being very scarce, unless in some small spot by
itself close to the edge of the mountains. From there we
sailed for the coast of Ecuador, humpback whaling. We
mated with the barque La Grange, Captain Golden of
Providence, R. I. When vessels mate with each other
it is an understanding between them to unite together in

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 39
securing whales, the oil to be divided between them, no
matter which ship's boat gets the whale or whales. Many
times vessels meet at sea, and on sighting whales one of
them will hoist the American flag at the mizzen peak,
and if the captain of the other vessel is agreeable to it he
will sanction his willingness to mate by hoisting his flag
at the mizzen peak also. Then all hands buckle to it and
get as many whales as they can.
We anchored about three miles off shore, as humpback
whales are caught in shoal water close in shore, and the
crews take the boats and cruise for them, a lookout on the
ship signaling to them if any are seen from there. The
morning is the best time to look for them. It is quite a
picnic to get fast to a large bull humpback, as they run
very fast, and sometimes you would think there was a large
number of cats yowling ; then it would change, and one
would think a herd of cattle were lowing. These are
called singers, and they are well named. Humpback
whales are apt many times to capsize a boat, as they are
supplied with large fins on each side of their bodies, called
topsail yards by sailors. As soon as daylight breaks the
crew are on the lookout for them. We got about four
hundred barrels all told, which, by mating, only left us
about two hundred. And as the season was nearly over
we hove up anchor and sailed away for Tombas, on the
coast of Peru in South America. We anchored outside
and took on a fresh supply of water and sweet potatoes,
which are raised in large quantities there, and are generally
a grand treat for the sailors ; many of them are eaten raw.
After putting things in shape we again had liberty, after
which we again started for the Callio ground. Just to the
south of the Chinchi Islands we cruised, in company with
nearly twenty other vessels, for a period of about three
months, and only got two small sperm whales during the

40 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
time. While cruising there we gammed the barque
Cachelot, A. Houghton and several other whalers, which
was a treat for us, as it is at all times. We exchanged
reading matter and had some good singing and story
telling, and the pipes and tobacco were passed around
quite freely. The two whales caught stowed down about
seventy barrels. After storing our oil below we bade our
friends good-by and good luck and sailed for Valparaiso,
Chili, and on the passage stopped at the Island of Juan
Fernandes, the well-known home of Robinson Crusoe and
his man Friday. We laid off and on three days, and went
ashore after goats, peaches and quinces, or anything we
could get that was good to eat. In the story of Robinson
Crusoe we read that his pets were his goats and kids ; but
be that as it may, one to see the great numbers of goats
would not doubt it. We also got a large quantity of claw-
fish close in shore. These fish are similar to our native
lobster, only they have monster claws, from which they
derive their name. Their flesh or meat, as you may call
it, is very nice, and somewhat better, I think, than our
lobster. We also visited the famous cave, the home of Robinson
Crusoe. This cave extends into the bank forty or fifty
feet, and is about eight or ten feet wide and about ten feet
high in the center. While there gazing into the cave my
mind reverted to the stories I had read and heard related
about this famous place and its occupants, little dreaming
that I should ever see or enter it ; yet there I was, and I
felt very much pleased and grateful to our captain for
stopping and allowing us to visit it. We then continued
on to Valparaiso, six hundred miles away. On the way
we sighted whales, and by lowering and working hard
succeeded in capturing one, and while cutting him in the
weather grew heavy and the wind blew very hard, which

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE

4'

caused us to lose the head. The carcass gave us about
eighty barrels. On our arrival at Valparaiso the captain
ordered the vessel on the dry docks, to repair the copper
and make other necessary repairs. I got my discharge
there and received my wages, which, if I remember aright,
was one dollar and fifty cents ; a large sum of money for
all my hard work. I remained ashore three or four days
and then shipped again, this time on the barque Cachelot,
under command of a Captain Perry. So again I found
myself afloat bound for the Callio grounds. We took with
us two passengers, an Englishman and his wife, a Chilian,
whom we were to land on the Island of Juan Fernandes,
where they intended to make their home. And as there
was only one family of five Spanish people called Chilians
living there at the time, I thought to myself they would be
quite lonesome there with only five white people there
besides themselves. After landing them we proceeded on
to the whaling ground. We caught several whales during
the season without any serious accident, only a stove boat
once in a while ; in fact every boat we had was stove
more or less during the time. We stowed down about
three hundred barrels of sperm oil.
While cruising there the ship Trident of New Bedford,
under command of Captain Fisher, of Nantucket, just out
from Callio, informed the captain that the owner of the
Cachelot, having sent another captain to take command in
place of Captain Perry, he was to land at Valparaiso ; and
the steamer he came on stopped at Callio for coal, and Cap
tain Fisher of the Trident saw and talked with him, and,
as was natural, asked him what vessel he was after, and
was informed that he was after the Cachelot. After re
cruiting his vessel he put to sea, and sighting us ran down
for a gam, his main object being to inform Captain Perry
of the object of the arrival of the new captain. Our cap-

42 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
tain was much pleased on account of Captain Fisher noti
fying him of the transaction about to take place. So
instead of going to Valparaiso he ran into Callio, and sold
about one hundred and fifty barrels of oil while laying off
and on. We put the oil on board of lighters and towed
them nearly in shore, when we cast off the lines and let
them go, so the American consul could not claim the oil.
We then ran a little further in and came to an anchor.
After the sails were furled 'and rigging coiled up and the
ship put in shape, the captain went on shore and delivered
up his papers to the American consul. That night the
boarding-house runners came on board and coaxed us to
come to their house to board. And the whole crew, my
self included, agreed to go, which we did, and in less than
one week we were all shanghaied on board of a large mer
chant ship bound for Queenstown, Ireland, for orders, and
we soon were notified that we were in debt to the ship
seventy-five dollars. She was the Francis A. Palmer, of
New York, Captain Richardson, and was two thousand
tons burthen. This was in the year i860. Everything
went well until we were about a week out, when we were
put on a short allowance of food. We had plenty of work
to do and very little to eat. We were loaded with Peru
vian Guano, not a very sweet-smelling cargo. On account
of the short allowance of food I used to go down between
decks and steal hard bread and stow it away in my berth in
order to get enough to eat. We were about four months
and twenty days on the passage, which was a very rough
one all the way. During the passage three of our topsails
were blown clear from the bolt ropes ; this was off the
Western Islands. From Queenstown we were ordered to
London to discharge. After discharging the cargo we
were discharged ourselves, receiving the munificent sum of
about twenty-five dollars for all our hard work.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 43
I stayed in London until my money was gone, then
shipped again on the barque Charles Edwin, Captain
Littlejohn, of Portland, Me. We went to the north of
England to the city of Shields, to load coal for Havana,
Cuba. We had a very rough passage, having to lay the vessel
to several times. On our arrival the crew had to hoist out
the coal by hand in small baskets and dumped it into
lighters alongside. While discharging the coal the vessel
was chartered to load sugar at Cardness for New York.
After discharging the coal the vessel was thoroughly
cleansed to receive the cargo of sugar. While at Cardness
the rebel steamer, with the rebel commissioners Mason and
Slidell, arrived.
This was at the beginning of the War of 1861. There
were several vessels there at the time flying the Southern
or rebel flag.
We finished loading and sailed for New York, making
the passage in five days ; and during the passage we were
hove to in a gale in the Gulf Stream about eighteen hours ;
this was in the month of November of 1861.
It was quite a sight on our arrival to see the outskirts of
the city covered with tents, and the city was full of sol
diers. I began to think that the North meant business, as
everywhere I went I was sure to meet soldiers, the city
being fairly alive with them.
I left the vessel there and returned to my home in New
Bedford.

CHAPTER II

$

AS A MAN-O'-WARSMAN AND SOLDIER
AFTER having been from home so long I did not feel at
all contented with the slow, humdrum life around
home, so my stay was short, especially as the war had
begun and everything was excitement everywhere ; so after
remaining at home a few days, the weather being very cold, as
¦ it was now December, I enlisted in Uncle Sam's navy and
was at once ordered on board the receiving ship Ohio, at
the Charlestown Navy Yard, near Boston, and then donned
the uniform of the man-o'-warsman. I remained on board
of her for a period of two weeks, when I was transferred to
the receiving ship Princeton at Philadelphia; about three
hundred others were transferred at the same time.
We went from Charlestown to Philadelphia on the
steamship Kensington, and were four days on the passage;
the weather was very cold and it snowed most of the time,
but we had a very jolly crowd on board and plenty of sing
ing and story-telling, so we did not heed the weather.
January the 18th I was again transferred to the flagship
Hartford, she being the flagship of Admiral (at that time
Commodore) Farragut, one of our most brave and noted
commanders in the Union army or navy; on the 20th of
the same month we steamed down to the powder station
and took on powder and shell.
As soon as we finished loading we started for Hampton
Roads, at the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia ;
from there we went to Hilton Head, in South Carolina,
Havana, Cuba, Key West, Florida, Ship Island ; and from
there to the mouth of the Mississippi River. After the
arrival of the fleet of vessels under Commodore Farragut
we started up the Mississippi, the Hartford taking the

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 45
lead ; our intentions were to make an attack on forts Jack
son and St. Phillips.
On arriving within a suitable distance, we began firing,
and kept up the attack for six days and nights without
cessation, the whole fleet throwing about twenty-eight
hundred shells every twenty-four hours, or a total of six
teen thousand and eight hundred during the time. Such a
sight and noise I never saw nor heard before, and I hope I
never shall see nor hear again. Shells were bursting
everywhere, and the nights were nearly as light as day
with the quick succession of flashes from the cannons'
mouths, and the thick smoke rolled away in clouds. It
was a magnificent display of fire, but the danger coupled
with it left no chance for anyone to stop to admire it, as
death and destruction were in the air, and none of us knew
when a stray shot or shell would take us from this vale of
tears and launch us into eternity. We on the Hartford
were in such a position as to be unable to use any of our
guns except our large Dahlgreen, or bow gun, as it was
called, as none of the others could be used with any effect,
yet our broadside guns were loaded and manned ready to
fire as an opportunity offered.
About two o'clock in the morning of the 24th of April
we were ordered to get under weigh to pass the forts.
We were all ordered to lie down flat on deck out of sight
of the enemy, and at the command to rise and fire, and to
load and fire as often as possible until told to stop ; at the
command to fire it was meant for our whole broadside to
blaze away.
When the broadsides of the fleet rang out on the air it
was enough to fairly burst the drums in a person's ears;
the flash, flash from the muzzles of the guns were almost
enough to blind or dazzle one's eyes; and the continuous
bursting of shells, and the whistle and swish, swish of the

46 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
chain shot, fired to cut our rigging and hulls to pieces,
gave none of us a chance to stop to think or collect our
thoughts ; everything was bustle and commotion, and
¦everybody acted as though they thought everything at that
time depended on them. The sight was indeed appalling,
and any of the persons that took part in it will surely
remember it to their dying day. Ofttimes as my mind
reverts to it I seem to almost see and hear it over again.
During the attack the rebels were launching large fire-
rafts from different points, and would start them so they
would be pretty sure to run into the fleet attacking the
forts, several of the fleet got on fire from them, but the
flames were soon extinguished. One of them was drifting
•direct towards us, and we tried hard to clear it ; our helm
was put hard aport to try and run clear from it, and by
doing so we struck on a shoal and immediately came to a
standstill, which put us in a bad way, as the raft lay on
our port side and threatened to destroy us by setting our
vessel on fire. We fired a whole broadside at it to try and
sink it if possible, but could not do so. Our rigging was on
fire at this time, as the fire-raft lay close to us and hugged
the side of our vessel with a determination to stay until we
were destroyed, but we were not so easily destroyed ; we
fought the flames with a desperate will to outdo the rebels,
but it was hot work, yet we held to it to the last, and at
last succeeded.
The Commodore paced the poop deck as unconcerned
as though nothing had happened, but would occasionally
cast a glance up at the flames which had started up our
rigging. He seemed as cool and collected as though he
was taking a stroll on a beautiful May morning, and
showed himself to be the brave commander he really was.
We at last succeeded in backing the vessel off, and the
fire-raft was set adrift. Our loss during the attack on the

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 47
forts was three killed and ten wounded, with thirty-two
shots in our hull and rigging. We continued on to quar
antine to bury our dead ; we then steamed up the river
towards New Orleans ; when about eight miles below the
Chalmette batteries opened fire upon us, and we could only
return the fire with our bow gun. We lost one man.
The river was full of fire-rafts, but we ran clear of them
all, and ran in and anchored off abreast of New Orleans,
where we remained until the arrival of General Butler's
command. Tlie city was in an uproar on our arrival, and the
wharves were thronged with people. Two officers were
dispatched on shore to demand of the mayor the surrender
of the city. They went on their perilous expedition with
out an escort, and as they arrived in their boat alongside
of the pier they found that they would have to fairly
squeeze their way through the crowd collected there.
Nothing daunted, however, they clambered upon the wharf
and on glancing right and left saw that all the slum and
dissipated men and women, as well as the well to do, were
gathered there, plainly showing by their looks and actions
their hatred for the Yankees. As soon as the crowd saw
them step on shore they hooted and hissed like maniacs,
and such a discord of voices as was heard was enough to
make a brave man quail.
As the officers stepped on the shore they demanded of
the crowd to know where the mayor lived or could be
found. At this the crowd broke out afresh, saying " down
with the Yankees," " shoot them," " hang them to a lamp
post," and so on, but no one offered the required informa
tion, and they proceeded in elbowing their way through
the infuriated mob of human beings.
We could see them from the vessel, and saw that they
were not molested, but soon they disappeared from view.

48 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
None of us could tell what their fate might be, but our
guns were loaded with grape and canister and manned
ready to open fire upon the mob at the first sign of any
attempt to disturb them. These two brave officers were
Captain Bailey and Lieutenant Perkins. It was a daring
deed, and we should all be proud to have such brave and
loyal heroes on our banner. Why they were not attacked
by the frenzied mob I am unable to say, unless it was the
brave, determined manner they stepped ashore with.
After a short stay on shore they were again seen heading
towards their boat, and as before had to fairly elbow their
way through the mob, but as before they were not assaulted.
After getting into their boat they soon reached the vessel,
and as they stepped on board they were met by a crew of
brave men that knew how to applaud a brave act, and their
welcome back was a rousing cheer from the whole fleet.
Shortly after their arrival on board Captain Charles H.
Bell, with a guard of marines, was ordered on shore with
two boat howitzers. On arriving at the pier they were
met with the same kind of reception as the other officers,
but he, with his guards, made direct for the State House.
On arriving there the marines were drawn up into line,
with their weapons pointed at the crowd, with orders to
fire at the first sign of interference. Captain Bell then
ascended to the roof of the building and tore down the
rebel flag and hoisted in its place the stars and stripes.
The crowd stood spellbound, as though frozen to the
spot, and not a voice was heard for several minutes ; such
daring had completely taken their breath away. That
was bearding the lion in his den in earnest.
And, strange to say, not a shot was fired, which proved
beyond a doubt that such daring had completely unmanned
them. The captain and his escort then marched to the
Custom House, where the same performance was enacted,

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 49
the crowd eagerly watching every move, but not lifting so
much as a finger to stop it. Every man and boy on board
the fleet cheered lustily the brave acts of our comrades.
It was almost like baring the breast to a duelist and
inviting him to take your life. None of us expected they
would return alive, but with the courage of a lion they
dared to do or die, and do it they did, and they should
not be forgotten.
After hoisting the stars and stripes on the Custom House
Captain Bell descended to the ground, and with a defiant,
never-to-be-forgotten look ordered the marines to march
towards their boat, and they were soon on board, the heroes
of the hour. Tears could be seen on many faces, tears of
joy. to welcome as comrades such daring heroes.
Shortly after the fleet started up the river towards Vicks
burg. When about eight miles above New Orleans went
ashore on the left bank and spiked twenty-nine guns. We
were informed that our fleet had sunk seven rebel gun
boats in the attack on Forts Jackson and St. Phillips.
We continued on as far as Baton Rouge, where we took
on coal. While coaling up some of our officers were
fired upon by guerrillas, wounding one of them. We
then fired four or five shots into the town. After coaling
up we proceeded to Vicksburg, and arrived there June
25th, 1862, and began bombarding the town. Their
fortifications were spread all along the hills, about fifty
yards apart, and about one and one-half miles in from shore
and about two hundred and fifty feet up from the level,
which made it a very strong fortification, and was called
the Gibraltar of the West, and to have seen it you would
have said it was rightly named.
We passed up very slowly, our steam being down to
about eight pounds. We stopped several times on that
account. We continued to fire until ordered to stop ; one

50 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
of our crew was killed and eighteen wounded. We con
tinued on and anchored among Admiral Davis's fleet.
While anchored there with our fires down the rebel
ram Arkansas ran the gauntlet by our fleet, giving us
several shots as a parting tribute of her prowess. By not
having steam up we could not pursue her, but we gave
her a broadside as she passed, several shots taking effect.
We got ready that night to pass the forts, and swung our
anchors at the yardarm to drop on and grapple the ram
Arkansas should we be fortunate enough to get near her,
but she did not make her appearance.
While abreast of Vicksburg we were fired upon and a
heavy battle was indulged in. Shot and shell were whist
ling everywhere, and the flashes of the large guns made
the night as light as day. The firing was continuous.
George H. Loundsberry, master's mate, had his head taken
clear from his body, as though cut off with a razor ; his
body fell to the deck, but his head was never found. Two
others were killed and six wounded during the engagement.
After passing the Gibraltar, Vicksburg, we continued
down the river. Arriving off Grand Gulf we were fired
upon by guerrillas, and after we passed the town was
burned by the fleet. The town of Donaldsonville was also
burned. We continued on to New Orleans, where I left the
Hartford and took my effects on shore.
On arriving on shore I enlisted in the First Louisiana
Infantry, under General Butler, many of the regiment
being those formerly of the garrison in Forts Jackson and
St. Phillips, in the rebel service. We were mustered into
service August 25th, 1862, and went into camp at Camp
Carney, to drill and prepare ourselves for battle.
From there we were ordered to Donaldsonville, about
eighty miles above. We remained there during the winter

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 5 1
of 1862. We built a fort there and mounted eight guns;
we also dug a trench around it. We named the fort Fort
Butler. While we were there General Banks was sent to
relieve General Butler. General Banks took command of
the Nineteenth Army Corps.
In the spring of 1863 we formed an expedition to go
up the Red River. We marched from Donaldsonville to
Brazier City, where we boarded transports and went across
the lake and landed at a place called Irish Bend, in Louis
iana, where we had a battle, our major being the first one
wounded. The fight lasted four or five hours, and bullets
flew thick and fast during the time.
I do not remember how many were killed and wounded,
but the number was large. In the afternoon the rebels
retreated ; we followed along the river where they had a
gunboat named the Cotton, and for fear she would fall
into our hands they set her on fire and blew her up.
We kept on towards Alexandria, driving the rebels ahead
of us all the way. We marched through the day and
went into camp at night, when pickets would be posted,
and our guns stacked handy to reach in case of necessity,
then we would be off for fence rails to sleep on and make
fires with. After supper was over we would start out
foraging for something good for breakfast. One place we
came across we saw about twenty cattle in a barn-yard,
and before daylight every one of them was killed and
dressed ready to cook for breakfast. The owner of them
was so dumbfounded, when he arose in the morning, he
could hardly speak, but cried like a child. It was hard
to see a strong man crying, but we had about eighteen
thousand hungry men to feed, and it took considerable to
do it. We would take anything we came across, pigs,
chickens, ducks, goats, or anything eatable, potatoes, cab
bages, turnips, corn, or anything we wanted.

52 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
The next morning we again set out, and after marching
all day we camped about sundown. Several of us went to
a planter's house, and seeing a flock of geese in the yard
I asked the owner for one, which he indignantly refused ;
whereupon I shot one of them and picked him up and
started off with him. He stood and looked hard at me,
but didn't open his mouth. I don't know how many
geese he had left in the morning, but I don't believe he
had any, for as soon as the boys saw them they would
want and would have them. The last of that night fin
ished up our foraging on that trip, as we reached Alex
andria. We remained there about four days and started towards
Shreveport. We had tramped about twelve miles west
of Alexandria, when we picked up a quantity of cotton
which we seized. We then returned over the same route
until within a few miles of the Mississippi River, when we
took transports and went down the Red River about twelve
miles ; when we reached the Mississippi, went down a
short distance and landed. When within about twelve
miles of Port Hudson, we dug trenches for a distance of
about eight miles and laid siege to the city.
My readers may think it strange that we should march
in such a roundabout way, but our object was to draw the
troops and forces away from Port Hudson, so we would
have an easier victoiy over them and take the place from
them. We practiced all the tricks we (our commander)
could think of to draw their attention from our object,
as skillful mancsuvering was better than bloodshed. On
the 27th of June, 1863, we made a charge upon Port
Hudson, and we found them better fortified than we an
ticipated. They had cut down all the trees around their
stronghold, which made it hard work for us, as we had
to climb over the fallen trees, as they had been left just

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 53
as they fell, and as fast as we undertook to charge upon
them we were repulsed, losing heavily. As fast as any
of our boys showed themselves their sharpshooters would
pick them off, and we soon found that in order to keep
from being utterly wiped out was to drop behind the fallen
trees and lie there out of sight, which we did, as it was no
use to throw our lives away, for nothing could be gained
by so doing.
It must have been a queer sight to them to see us crawl
ing and scrambling over trees and branches and stumps,
trying to get near to them. We lay where we dropped
until after dark, when we crawled back to our trenches.
Our colonel was killed in the engagement and our total
loss was three or four thousand. I was fortunate in not
receiving a scratch, yet the boys were falling all around
me, as the bullets flew like hailstones. It is not a pleasant
thing to see your comrades dropping all around you, many
of them dead before striking the ground, and none of us
knew but our turn would come next. Yet we undaunt
edly kept up the siege, with more or less shots exchanged,
until the 8th of July, when they surrendered to us. This
surrender was to General Banks, the commander of our
Corps. While we held siege over Port Hudson the rebels from
Texas made an attack upon Fort Butler at Donaldsonville.
Upon being informed about it we boarded transports and
went there and landed and marched on to bayou La
Flusch, four miles below, and went into camp ; and the
following afternoon the rebs made an attack upon us at a
place called Coxes Plantation. The rebels meant business
and intended to rout us ; several of our command were
killed and wounded ; as they pressed us so hard we re
treated toward Donaldsonville. The rebs, thinking we
were drawing them into a trap, and not caring to be

54 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
hemmed in, they left for Texas again. They did not
know that Port Hudson had surrendered, and, as Vicks
burg was sieged at the time Port Hudson was taken, was
the means of cutting off all chances for supplies ; so, on
account of this, they surrendered to us, but they were
stubborn and held out as long as they could.
After the surrender of Vicksburg we went into camp,
and while we were camped there we made several runs up
the Mississippi River on transports, the army going into
quarters in several places in Louisiana.
We remained near Donaldsonville until the spring- of
1864, acting as garrison for Fort Butler.
The second Red River campaign was started under
General Banks, and we were relieved by a colored com
pany, so we left for Brazier City to join our troops. We
took transports to cross the river, and then took up the
line of march towards Alexandria. We marched about
twelve miles a day and went into camp at night, and each
night on the line of march the planters were minus pigs,
chickens, ducks and other eatables.
The fleet of gunboats were following up the river while
we were marching on land. We at last arrived in Alex
andria all right, and after a short stay we started again
towards Shreveport. About twelve miles from Grandico,
at a place called Pleasant Hill, we had a heavy battle and
got badly whipped. We lost all of our artillery and am
munition train with provisions, besides small arms. A
great many were killed and wounded and taken prisoners.
Towards night the firing ceased and we went into camp.
In the night we were reinforced with about fifteen
thousand men, under command of Major A. J. Smith of
the Thirteenth Army Corps.
The next morning the rebs made another attack on us.
They little dreamed what a reception they would receive

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 55
from us, through being reinforced during the night. But
they were not long kept in suspense as we whipped them
far worse than they did us. We mowed them down like
grass upon the farmer's scythe, and they lost no time in
retreating, and we were fortunate in recovering everything
taken from us during our first engagement with them.
After completely routing them we went back to Grandico.
While there we built a fortification of logs for protection.
The water was falling so fast in the river the gunboats
were in danger of running asjround, so they retreated
down the river toward Alexandria, the rebs firing at them
all the way. We again took up the line of march. The
first day we inarched forty- two miles without a rest.
Upon arriving at Alexandria the water was falling so rap
idly the gunboats could not get over the falls, on account
of which it was decided to build a dam in order to keep
enough water above to allow them to get over the falls.
We built the dam, which was a success, but coupled with
plenty of hard work. We built the dam in eight days.
The falls are about a mile in length and interspersed with
jagged rocks, which looked very uninviting for a vessel to
try to run through. We ran out and sank four large coal
barges at the end of the falls, from the right bank of the
river. Cribs filled with stone were then run out to meet
the barges, all of which was fully accomplished, notwith
standing there was a current running at the rate of nine
miles an hour, threatening to sweep everything before it.
At the end of the eighth day the water had risen so
many of the vessels could come down ; in another day it
would be high enough to allow all to come down, but,
unfortunately, on the next day the pressure of the water
was so great as to sweep away two of the barges of stones.
It was a sight to see (and we were where we had a good
view of it all) those large gunboats go over those falls.

56 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
As each one approached to run the gauntlet you could
almost hear a pin drop, but as they passed safely over the
falls cheer upon cheer would ring from a thousand throats
at once. There were at that time on the fleet and on the
shore about thirty thousand Yankee soldiers and sailors,
each and every one much interested in the safety of the
gunboats, as a great deal depended on them at all times.
After the fleet had passed the falls we all followed down
the Red River. The city of Alexandria was set or got on
fire in some way, and the flames could be seen very plain
for a distance of four or five miles.
We marched on down to Atchafalaya, and in order to
cross the river the transports were drawn up in line along
side of each other, forming a regular pontoon bridge, as
we all marched over them and arrived safely on the other
side. We marched from there to Moganzie Landing, on
the Mississippi River.
We built a fort there and named it Fort Moganzie. We
all camped there about a month. While there Major-
General Canby was sent out to take command from Major-
General Banks. We were ordered from there to New
Orleans, and on arriving there we went into camp. Then
the Nineteenth Army Corps were ordered to go up the
Potomac, and we were sent to Fort Butler, at Donaldson
ville, and stayed there until the close of the war, and at
the close we were ordered down to Xeyv Orleans to be
mustered out of service.
On the 16th of July, 1865, while at Donaldsonville, I
was on provost guard, and was dispatched to go to New
Orleans with rebel prisoners. We went on transports,
and, as it was night when we arrived, and very dark, the
plank that was run out to walk ashore on was not wide
enough for me to sec, so overboard I went. My gun
sank, and away went my cap, and the only way I got out

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 57
was by following the sound of the voices on shore ; but
I managed to get on shore, and delivered up the prisoners
to the provost marshal and returned to the fort.
After I was mustered out of service I stayed in New
Orleans about a week, and was presented a free pass to
New York.
While the steamer I was in, bound for New York, was
off Key West, the boilers gave out. The fires were
drawn and tlie steam blown off ; when repairs were made
we again started for New York. Off abreast of Charles
ton they gave out again, when sail was set and we again
began repairs. While sailing along in the Gulf Stream
we sighted a steamer, when we put up a flag of distress.
She proved to be the George Washington, the one I was
on being the barque-rigged steamer Blackstone. The
George Washington was bound from New Orleans to
New York. Our captain asked the other captain to tow
us in, but as they were a mail steamer they could not do
so ; but he consented to take all the passengers in, so I
went on board and soon arrived in New York. From
there I went to my home in New Bedford.

CHAPTER III

$

TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
MY stay at home, as on the previous occasion, was
very short, as I again shipped on a small vessel
carrying freight from one port to another. We
contracted for the season to carry oil and grain between
New Bedford and Albany, New York. I remained aboard
of her until late in the fall, and joined another one bound
from New Bedford to Georgetown, D. C, and loaded with
coal there for Sandwich, and again returned to New Bed
ford, where I remained through the winter.
In the spring of 1866, I again shipped on the brig
Morning Star, of Providence, R. I., bound for Monte
video, South America. It was in the month of March that
we sailed, and the weather was very raw and cold. The
first five days we experienced very heavy weather, and had
to throw overboard our deck load of lumber, as the vessel
was leaking very badly, The heavy seas striking her, and
she being loaded so heavily, was the means of straining
her and set her to leaking, and all the men that could be
spared were pumping continually to try and keep her free.
When the wind moderated and the seas went down we
managed to free her from water when everything went
along quite smoothly, until heavy weather again set in,
and again she began leaking, the crew pumping all the
time. About twenty days out we were struck by a heavy
gale, which played sad havoc with us, as we lost our fore
topmast and foreyard, topgallant and royal yard.
We then rigged up a jury mast and ran into Rio Jane
iro, where we had a general overhauling. After everything
was put in shape we again started on our trip south, and

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 59
had very heavy weather all the time until we arrived at
Montevideo, which caused us to lay the vessel to, and man
the pumps, in order to stay afloat. It was during a heavy
gale that we ran in as far as possible, which brought us-
deep into the mud.
We remained there about a month when we were
ordered up the river, about three hundred miles to
Buenos Ayres. The passage was made in three days,
when we anchored about seven miles from the city, as at
that time large vessels generally anchored from 'fifteen to
twenty miles below the city.
We remained there about five months. During the
time we experienced two severe pamperos. The first one
drove seventeen vessels ashore, making total wrecks of all
of them, as they went to pieces in a short time, and the
second drove nine more ashore, totally wrecking them alL
Many anchors were lost there ; not any of the vessels that
were wrecked had probably less than two down, to try to
hold the vessel. But they proved of little avail, as they-
all drove ashore, which left the anchors on the bottom.
A new side-wheel passenger steamer named the Oriento, a
very large boat, started on her trip from Buenos Ayres to-
Montevideo, and as the water was shoal she was so unfor
tunate as to strike one or more of the anchors on the bot
tom, which stove a large hole in her bottom. She soon
filled and sank, and on account of the water being shoak
her deck remained two or three feet out of the water. She
sank about two and one-half miles from shore. As soon as-
we saw what had happened, we lowered our boat and
put in a diving suit and apparatus and started for her, the-
captain luckily having them aboard at the time.
Our cargo consisted of material for constructing a ma
rine railway, and as diving suits are used in placing them
we carried them also ; and it was fortunate for the crew

'60 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
of the steamer that we were there at the time. As soon
as we boarded the steamer, our captain made arrangements
with the steamer's captain to stop up the hole in her bottom.
I was asked if I would don the suit and go down on the
bottom and investigate the real damage. Being young and
venturesome, I quickly volunteered to do so.
I put on the suit, which was heavily weighted with lead
and was so heavy I could hardly walk, and when they
were ready to put on the large helmet one of our crew
began pumping air to me to enable me to breathe. It
was a queer sensation to have to depend on a machine to
furnish air to breathe, as that was the only means I had
to get any after the helmet was adjusted. When I went
down to the bottom I found it no trouble at all to move
about as I chose ; and upon investigation I found that the
bottom of the steamer was so flat and the bottom so hard,
I could not discover the hole made by the sunken anchor.
I remained down several hours, without any success
whatever. I then gave the signal to be drawn up, and
after removing the helmet I called for a shovel and hoe
and again descended, and began digging in order to locate
the place that was stoven. I was digging most of the time
for several days, and as the bottom was so hard it was
.slow work. I had not succeeded in locating the spot when
¦another pampero visited us and swept the steamer's upper
works entirely away, which made a complete wreck of
her, on account of which we abandoned the undertaking.
The steamer was then thrown on the hands of the under
writers, who sold her as she lay at auction.
About a month after this we were ordered across the river
about thirty miles to a place called Colonia, to put down
the marine railway. This place is in the Oriental Republic.
We discharged our cargo on shore, and were then or
dered on shore to help construct it, as we carried the

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 6l
carpenters with us that were to build it. While we were
building the railway, the captain shipped some Spaniards
(and sailed the vessel to Montevideo, where he sold her at
auction) . As soon as I heard of it I refused to work on
shore as I wanted to go on the vessel. The captain re
fused to let me go on board, and put me in the calaboose-
(jail). After he had sold her he came to me to see if I
would go to work. Upon my refusing to do so he let me
out, as he had to pay my board while I was there.
After I got out I stayed around four or five days and then
started on foot for Montevideo, three hundred miles away.
In some places there was quite a good road, and in others
there was none. I did not know where I would come out,
as it was all guess-work and nothing to guide me, but I
kept on going ; some days I walked twenty or more miles
without seeing a house of any kind, and when night came
on I would place a stone pointing in the direction I was
walking, so I would not get turned round after sleeping.
It was a very tedious journey all alone. I saw a great many
animals on the way, such as gazelles, antelopes, tigers, and
hundreds of ostriches. What few people I saw were very
good to me, and gave me plenty to eat. I was nine days
making the journey, and a lonesome nine days it was, too,
and in a strange country. I tried to make the people I met
understand that I was bound for Montevideo, and they
would point for me, and by going as they pointed I arrived
at last, but very footsore and weary, and I was thankful I
was there.
As soon as I arrived I called on the American Consul and
received the money due me from the vessel, which amounted
to about one hundred and fifty dollars. I remained there
about two weeks and then shipped on a whitewash barque
bound for New York with a load of hides. These vessels
were called whitewash on account of wanting to keep clear

¦62 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
from the privateers, by flying the English flag instead of the
American flag. The one I shipped on was an American
with English colors and hailed from Capetown, but in reality
belonged in New York. We were sixty-three days on the
passage, which was a very rough one, head winds and gales
most of the time. We arrived in New York in March, 1867.
I remained in New York several days and returned to New
Bedford. I then, after a short stay at home, shipped on a
coasting schooner for the balance of the summer. In the
fall I went to the West Indies, returning in the spring of
1868. I then joined a wrecking party and made a business
of diving in a diving suit. I patched a great many vessels
ready for raising, cut and cleared the rigging from others,
hooked on anchors, chains and a hundred and one other
things that I chanced to find on the bottom. I continued in
this capacity until about July, 1869, when I again went to
New York and shipped as second mate of the barque
Fannie, bound for Havre, France, with a cargo of petroleum
oil in barrels. We had a very rough passage and lost several
sails. On arriving we discharged our cargo and took on ballast
and sailed for Cardiff, Wales, to load coal for Havana, Cuba.
We again had a very rough passage. On arriving, the crew
had to discharge the coal in small baskets, by hoisting it out
with a winch. After discharging we loaded sugar in hogs
heads for New York. We arrived there in March, 1870.
I left the vessel there and shipped on the schooner Annie A.
Whitin. After putting my things on board we started on
our passage for English Guinea, Central America ; we
carried a cargo of breadstuff in the hold and live sheep on
deck. Nothing of any importance occurred during the
passage. We arrived and discharged our cargo and took on
a return cargo of sugar for New York. We made the trip
in about fifty days.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 63
On our arrival in New York, I left and took my things
on shore and again shipped, this time on the brig Gazelle,
of Harrington, Maine, commanded by a Captain Cole. I
shipped with him as his mate. We then began loading
coal for Boston. We made the run without accident of
any kind. We sailed from Boston, after unloading the
cargo of coal, in ballast for Bangor, Maine. On our arrival
we began taking in our cargo of orange box shooks for
Palermo, in the Island of Sicily. We finished loading and
started for our destination, nearly four thousand miles away.
On our way we stopped at Gibraltar several days and
then started again for our destination. The passage at times
was quite unpleasant, but nothing of any serious nature
occurring. On our arrival we discharged our cargo in
lighters, as there was no place to land except in small boats.
We took a return cargo of oranges, lemons and sulphur for
Boston, Mass. From there we went to Porto Rico, in the
West Indies, and discharged our cargo of breadstuffs in three
different ports on the island. We then took in ballast and
sailed for Turk's Island after a cargo of salt ; loaded and
proceeded to New York ; arrived and discharged the cargo,
and took on a general cargo for Galveston, Texas. We
took on a cargo of cotton for a return to New York. After
discharging the cargo of cotton we took on a cargo of
naphtha for Stockholm, Sweden, up the Baltic Sea, by the
route of the north of Scotland.
We had a nice passage and arrived safe and sound, dis
charged our cargo, and began loading iron for New York,
which took us nearly a month. After completing loading
we set sail for New York. We sailed down the Baltic Sea.
across the North Sea, and out through the English Channel.
After passing Scilly Islands, off and in sight of Land's End,
England, we encountered heavy westerly gales and heavy
weather all the way until within about five hundred miles

64 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
of the Grand Banks, off Newfoundland, when we were
struck by a terrible hurricane. The vessel being loaded so
deep, and with a dead weight cargo, made her behave very
bad, the water on deck at times being even with the vessel's
rails. We lay the vessel to under a double-reefed mainsail,
and my readers can form a little idea what the ocean in its
fury is, when I tell you that with our mainsail double-reefed
we were boarded by a heavy sea which struck the mainsail
and tore it into ribbons. After this accident occurred she
labored very hard. If we had a cargo of lumber, or some
other light material, we would have thought nothing about
it, as she would have rode the seas like a duck ; but being
loaded with iron was not very pleasant just at this time.
As she lay to she rolled in the trough of the sea, — as
though she would never rise from it. We were expecting
all the time she would founder, and for fear she would we
tried our best to keep her afloat. We got the cargo gaff
and hook, a small anchor, and lashed it to the gaff, and
made a hawser fast to the bridle on the gaff, and dropped it
over the weather quarter, making the hawser fast to a bit
forward ; and as the vessel drifted to the leeward the gaff
pulled out ahead. This did not seem to do much good, so
we took tarpaulins and put them in the main rigging, and
then unbent the main staysail and set it for a storm trysail
on the mainmast ; and as this didn't seem to do any good,
we began to throw some of the cargo of iron overboard.
We threw overboard about twelve tons the first day, yet
she continued to roll and slat about, so that our fore top
gallant mast, with yards and sails, went by the board.
This hurricane held on for seventy-two hours, when the
weather began to moderate. As soon as we deemed it ad
visable to remove our main hatches we did so, and threw
overboard about forty tons more of our cargo. As we had
met with such an accident to our masts and rigging, the

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 65
captain concluded to run in to Fayal, to repair damages ;
and as we had a strong fair wind we made the run in four
days, when we anchored in the harbor of Horta, Fayal.
We put down three anchors to make sure and hold her, as
we had met with enough misfortune already. We had a
survey on the vessel, and were recommended to discharge
our cargo in order to make the necessary repairs, and put
her in shape to continue the passage.
The cargo was sent on shore in lighters, on account of
which we were ten days or more before it was all out.
After completing repairs we took on our cargo again and
sailed for New York. Before leaving, the American Con
sul put seven sailors that were ashore there on his hands
from a condemned vessel, on board with us to bring to the
L'nited States. We had a very rough passage, but luckily
without accident. The run -was made in forty- two days.
On arriving we discharged the cargo, and after everything
was put on shore and the vessel put in shape, I left and
took my effects on shore.
I remained in New York several days, when I shipped
again, this time on the brig Myronus, of Ellsworth, Me.,
under command of Captain Higgins. This was in July,
1872. We loaded crude petroleum for Marseilles, France.
We had a pleasant passage, and made the run in about
forty days. We discharged our cargo and loaded tiles for
San Fugas, south side of Cuba. These tiles are made of
clay, and look like a piece of pipe cut in two in the center.
They are used for shingling houses, and are sure to run all
the water off that strikes on them, as they form a regular
spout. We finished loading on November 21st, 1872.
The date is fresh in my memory, as on the following day
(it was a gala day for me) I was married on board the
vessel at three o'clock in the afternoon. The American
Consul, named Price, and the vice consul, came aboard

MRS. CAPT. THOMAS CRAPO

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 67
and performed the ceremony. The bride was a Miss
Joanna Styff, of Glasgow, Scotland ; and in order to tell
you what countrywoman she is I will give you the facts,
and, kind reader, you can try to explain the puzzle yourself.
She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, Sept. 26, 1854.
Her father was a native of Stockholm, Sweden ; her mother
was an English woman, a native of Newcastle-on-Tyne.
When eight years of age her parents moved to Marseilles,
France, where she also attended school and is a splendid
French scholar. She remained there until the Yankee
sailor, Captain Crapo, made her his bride, when we started
on our return trip.
We sailed on the 23d, with a nice fair wind for the first
three days, down the Mediterranean Sea. My wife was very
sea-sick, and home-sick as well, for a week or more, which
made it very unpleasant for her ; but as she began to get
better, she soon seemed like herself again. We then had
strong westerly winds, and it took us about twenty days to
get down to Gibraltar, and as we could not get through
the straits we anchored and waited for a fair wind.
We made ourselves as comfortable as possible, not know
ing how long we should have to wait. On the fourth day
the wind veered around, when we hove up our anchor and
made sail and proceeded on our way, the rest of the pas
sage being very pleasant.
At last we arrived in January, 1873. After discharging
the cargo we loaded sugar for New York, my wife remain
ing on board with me. We arrived in New York and dis
charged the cargo. After everything was put to rights I
took my discharge and, accompanied by my wife, started
for my home in New Bedford, where I remained until late
in the fall of the same year, when I again shipped as mate
on the schooner Annie Tibbets, Captain Curtis, of Har
rington, Maine. My wife again accompanied me, as she

68 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
was a plucky sailor, and wanted to go where I did. We
went to Tiverton, Rhode Island, to load fish guano for
Philadelphia, Penn. The Captain's wife also accompa
nied him on this trip. The only drawback to this trip was
that Mrs. Crapo did not like the perfume of the cargo, as
fish guano is not suitable to anyone's taste, and the smell
clings to your clothing for weeks afterwards. After being
on board with it a short time one gets used to it and almost
forgets it remains in the clothing, but if I got into a horse-
car or passed anyone on the street they could smell it very
readily, and would let you know it by turning up their
noses. After discharging this rancid, foul-smelling cargo we
loaded coal for New Bedford, Mass., my birthplace. We
were taking on the coal at Port Richmond when, in the
evening, Mrs. Curtis, the Captain's wife, and my wife and
myself started to go uptown, shopping. The place is
completely covered with railroad tracks, and trains are
coming and going all the time. I proceeded ahead to act
as pilot across the tracks, when soon I heard my wife
screaming. It seems she was walking behind Mrs. Curtis
when her shoe heel caught in a frog in the track, and her
screaming probably saved her life, as a train was nearing
her on that same track and stopped just before reaching her.
As she screamed, I turned and saw this train coming,
when I hurriedly extricated her from her perilous position
without accident, but she was badly frightened, and will
probably never forget it, as she often speaks of it. After
loading the vessel we proceeded on our journey, and as we
had good weather, we arrived and discharged our cargo
without any accident whatever. After ' discharging the
cargo we hauled alongside the dock, and remained there
about two months, as the ice was making fast, as it was
very cold.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 69
In the spring of the following year we again sailed, this
time for Orient, Long Island, to load fertilizer for Port
Royal, South Carolina. We had a good passage as far as
the lightship off Port Royal, named the Martin Industry.
We arrived off there about ten o'clock in the forenoon and
set our colors at our foremast for a pilot. We sailed
around all day but none came off to us. At night we
shortened sail and let her drift around ; but during the
night a heavy gale sprung up and the weather was very
thick and foggy, on account of which we were blown off
shore into the Gulf Stream.
The gale lasted for three days and nights, and it was
eight days before we got back to the lightship. We then
got a pilot and ran in and discharged. We then loaded
railroad ties for New York ; arrived and discharged them
all right. We then took in ballast for Fernandina, Florida.
My wife left the vessel here, and went to her brother's, in
New Brunswick, N. J. We had a good passage all the
way, and on arriving we discharged the ballast and took
on a cargo of ship timber for Harrington, Maine. We
had a very rough passage ; many times the seas would
wash clear across the vessel. We ran in within seven
miles of our destination, when owing to the crookedness of
the river, we rafted the timbers on shore.
After discharging I left the vessel and went on to New
York, where I shipped on a three-masted schooner named
the James M. Riley, of Harrington, Maine, under com
mand of a Captain Eaton. I shipped with him as first
mate, and we were to load petroleum oil for Cranston,
Finland, in Russia. Our course was across the Atlantic to
the north of Scotland, across the North Sea, then through
the Straits of Elsinor into the Baltic Sea. Our cargo was
for St. Petersburg, but as the water was not deep enough
to allow us to go there we had to discharge at Cranston,

70 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
about fifteen miles below, yet we could see St. Petersburg
quite plain. After discharging we took in ballast of
about thirty tons and sailed towards Cape Breton, Nova
Scotia. While sailing down the Baltic Sea we had very heavy
weather and soon found out we did not have in ballast
enough, so we put in to Copenhagen, Denmark, and put
aboard fifty more tons. After it was aboard and properly
trimmed we again started on our passage. We went back
north of Scotland again on our way to Cape Breton. We
experienced very heavy weather all the way, which took
us forty days, when we ran in to New Caledonia, Cape
Breton, where we unloaded our ballast and loaded coal
for New York. The passage was a very rough one and
took us eighteen days. After discharging our cargo we
had the vessel hauled alongside the wharf, where she re
mained for two months, waiting for a cargo. At last we
chartered to load sugar-box shooks for Cardness, north
side of Cuba ; had very heavy weather, and lost our fore
topmast and jibboom in a gale. While we were discharg
ing, Captain Boynton, a part owner of the vessel, took
command in place of Captain Eaton, and as his wife came
on with him I had mine join us, as it would be pleasant
for the captain's wife to have company on board, as well
as company for me.
While we were discharging, the two ladies were ashore
most of the time, enjoying themselves and seeing the sights.
After discharging we loaded sugar for New York ; had
very heavy weather and snowstorms north of Cape Hat
teras. On arriving at Sandy Hook we anchored, and the
heavy ice coming down on us drove us about five miles to
sea. The next morning a towboat came down and offered
to tow us in for one thousand dollars. This was an enor
mous sum, and made us whistle. At last, after some

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 7 1
parleying, the captain offered them two hundred dollars,
and after due consideration they agreed to take it, so they
took our lines and started with us. The tide and ice were
against us, and it took them all day to tow us thirty miles.
We looked like a floating iceberg instead of a vessel on
our arrival at the wharf ; everything was ice everywhere.
We began to discharge our cargo, which was not a very
pleasant job, as the weather was so cold and ice was
everywhere. After discharging the cargo I left the vessel and shipped
as first mate on the brig Kaluna, Captain Nash, of Har
rington, Maine ; my wife also went with me. We loaded
a general cargo for Fernandina, Florida. After loading
we started south, encountering heavy winds .and rain
storms most of the way. We arrived safe and sound and
discharged the cargo and took on a cargo for London,
England. The cargo consisted of hard pine and cotton
seed in the hold and five hundred barrels of rosin on
deck. While loading there the crew undertook to desert
in the night, but the watchman on the wharf stopped them
and notified the captain, who had them all put in the
calaboose until the vessel was loaded. After loading
we went down stream and anchored, when a policeman
brought the crew aboard.
After they were on board we asked them to turn to and
man the vessel, and on their refusing to do so we put
them all in irons and lashed them to a spar that was to
the main hatch. The towboat' s crew assisted us to make
sail and towed us to sea. When the towboat dropped our
line we squared away for London. About three hours
after the towboat left the men concluded to turn to, as
they could not help themselves. We had very heavy
weather, making sail and taking it in most of the time,
until we arrived off the banks of Newfoundland. After

72 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
passing the banks we had a very heavy hurricane. We
ran under a lown foretopsail and reefed foresail, and as
the hurricane increased caused us to ship large quantities
of water, which started our deck-load of rosin adrift, and
we could not secure it, as the vessel rolled so and the
heavy seas were continually breaking over us, and for fear
it would start the vessel leaking the captain ordered it
thrown overboard. In order to lighten her as soon as
possible the captain took the wheel and I took the crew
and began throwing the rosin overboard, breaking in some
of them where we could, and where it was not so easy to
break them in we rolled them over as they were.
We had thrown over the whole deck-load all but three
barrels, when, in the middle of the night, we shipped a
very heavy sea. We were running dead before the wind,
when I saw a large sea coming astern. I jumped up on
the house, calling to the crew at the same time to look
out for themselves. I had but just got hold of the rigging
when the sea broke clear over the stern of the vessel.
We had a boat swung astern and the sea slammed it against
the main boom, breaking it in two, and but for the boat
being there the captain would have been instantly killed
at the wheel, as the boat broke the force of the sea.
Besides smashing our boat it stove in the cabin and
started it from the deck and filled it more than half full
of water. My wife was the only woman on board and
the only occupant of the cabin at the time. And she,
instead of fainting as many men would have done at such
a time, grasped the lamp from a socket and held it up to
the binnacle so the vessel could be kept in her course, as
the binnacle was smashed, lamp and all.
Hers was not a very comfortable position, nearly waist
deep in water holding up a lamp so the helmsman could
see how to steer. That was a good sign of presence of

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE

73

mind in an emergency. She knew as soon as the binnacle
light went out something must be done to give those on
deck light, and acted as stated above ; and she was more
than praised for her bravery. While holding the light
the second mate went below for a tackle to put on to the
wheel or tiller, as the wheel was broken, and it was the
only means of safety at such a time, and being in the night
made it much worse, as it is not pleasant in a hurricane in
a dark night. As he went below Mrs. Crapo asked hirn
the extent of the damage, when he replied, "I shouldn't
wonder if the whole stern is stove in." Her reply was,
" Well, if that is the case we will not be here very long,"
when he made the remark that he didn't think we would
last until morning. When my wife told me of the con
versation I talked quite strongly to him for trying to
frighten her. Provided he thought so, he should have tried
to cheer her up, instead of scaring her at such a time ; but
he was, no doubt, as much or more frightened than she
was. We at last succeeded in getting a tackle on the tiller
so we could handle her, and with a man to attend to it,
with my wife still holding the lamp, I went forward and
ordered the foresail clewed up, then the lower topsail,
still holding her before the wind. We then hoisted and
set one two-reefed mainsail with a winch. The captain
then ordered me to try and save the pieces of the boat
hanging alongside. I replied by trying to save it. We
might have lost the vessel, so I ordered it cut away. We
then put the rudder down to lay the vessel to, when she
shipped another heavy sea, which washed the remaining
three barrels of rosin from forward clear aft, and we soon
launched them overboard. As soon as daylight broke we
set to work repairing the wheel and cabin door and getting
the water out of the cabin. We were all tired out and

74 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
wet through, and what rest we got was by lying down
where we could just as we were for a short time.
During the forenoon the lamp in my room, over my
desk, was taken out of its socket by the steward and put
on my desk, and the rolling of the vessel threw it off and
into my bed, setting the clothes on fire. The captain
happened to go below and saw it just in time to avoid a
terrible catastrophe, and saved us all from a horrible fate.
We continued to lay to until about four o'clock in the
afternoon, when the wind moderated and the sea went
down a little, so we could set a reefed foresail and lown
topsail. We ran that way until the next morning, when
we put on the upper topsail and ran that way until we
sighted Land's End, England, when the weather moder
ated and all sail was set, and good weather prevailed the
balance of the passage to London.
While discharging the cargo all of the crew, including
the steward, deserted. After discharging our cargo we
took on part of a load of cement for New York. We
were there nearly a month, and when ready to sail the
captain shipped four sailors and a steward. We then towed
part way down the Thames River ; we then made sail and
beat down to the downs off Deals and came to an anchor.
It blew very hard, so we dropped both anchors, as we
were drifting. Two of the sailors that were shipped in
.London were no good at all and didn't seem to know any
thing ; they shipped as able seamen, but were not near as
good as ordinary seamen.
We remained at anchor about three days, when the
second mate went forward to call the sailors to heave up
anchors and make sail for a start, when the two that I
said were no good refused to do so, saying they were sick,
and the other two refused unless the captain would ship
two more good men. The second mate came aft and

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 75
told me what they said. I reported the case to the cap
tain, who said, " Put them in irons." Right here I will
say that there are a great many pretended sailors who
work such tricks on captains of vessels, as they generally
secure a good advance, and then form some scheme to get
away from the vessel. On going forward with the hand
cuffs they refused to be put in irons, which I also reported
to the captain. We then both went forward, when a
scuffle ensued, one of them stabbing me with a knife in the
back of my neck, which has left a large scar that I will
carry to my grave. The thrust was meant to kill, as the
knife went in all of two inches, and by placing my finger
where it went makes a very funny feeling at the present
time. A sheath knife is an ugly thing to be cut with.
We then hoisted our flag in the rigging union down, a
sign of distress, when a boat came from shore to ascertain
the cause of distress, and took the captain and myself on
shore, where I was put in a hospital for treatment. I was
there four days before my wife was allowed to see me, as
my case was a critical one. The doctor thought I would
not pull through, but with a good constitution I soon
rallied. After I went to the hospital the police went on
board the vessel and took the mutinous sailors on shore
and lodged them in jail. While in the hospital the sailors
were brought in and court was held there, and the decree
of the court was that an American on an American vessel
had no right to put a man in irons in English waters, a
very queer ruling I thought for an attempt to murder, so
the sailors were allowed to go free. I remained in the
hospital about twelve days. After the men were set free
the captain went to London and shipped four more men
and a mate and sent the two that were playing sick on
shore, as they were of no account at all. When the cap
tain told me that he had shipped a mate to take my place

*]6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
it made me very indignant, and I refused to go with him,
but he cried and took on so that at last I consented to go.
I didn't like the idea at all, but he meant well and did so
to make it easy for me as I was not able (yet I thought I
was) to stand watch day and night, as I had not recovered
from my wound, as it was such a deep cut it took a long
time to heal, and it was a very close shave and a great
wonder it did not sever my jugular vein or my backbone.
The hospital surgeon gave me permission to go, but told
me I must be very careful, as I was not near out of danger
yet, and told me not to undertake to do anything but to
keep as quiet as possible. After going on board at day
light we hove up anchor and made sail for our journey to
New York. We had very good weather the first part of
the passage, and it was about twenty days before my neck
healed. I had an easy time of it as my regular duties fell
¦upon the new mate, and I let him fill the position without
molestation on my part. On the latter part of the passage
we had very heavy weather, but fortunately did not carry
away anything, either sails or rigging, and at last arrived
¦off Sandy Hook. The captain then gave me all orders in
stead of the new mate, and as we took a towboat we were
soon at the wharf in New York. As soon as we were
made fast the captain discharged the whole crew, mate and
¦all. After discharging the cargo, Captain Nash went home
to Harrington, Maine, and sent on a Captain Roberts to
command her in his place. After he arrived we chartered
to load coal at Port Johnson, New Jersey, for Salem, Mass.
After we finished loading we shipped a second mate and
four sailors and a steward. We towed to Port Johnson, a
¦distance of about four miles. Our cargo consisted of about
five hundred and fifty tons. We again hired a towboat
and towed through Hurl Gate. After the towboat cast
off our lines we set our sails and headed down Long Island

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 77
Sound towards our destination. We had a very pleasant
run all the way. On arriving at Salem we were fortunate
in discharging below the bridge, as vessels heavily laden
many times have hard work in getting up to the wharves
above the bridge, and they must catch the tide at its full,
as at low water the water about all flows out, and if a
vessel gets caught above on her way to the wharf when the
tide is going out she remains in the thick mud, when at
extreme low water there is scarcely water enough for a
duck to swim in. Many times a towboat will start with
a loaded vessel and probably get about half way to the
wharf when the muddy water soon tells them they had
better let go and get into deep water themselves or else
they will have to lie in the mud.
By being left in the mud quite a distance from the wharf
means hard work for the sailors, because as soon as it is
high water one must take the boat and scull with a line
from one side to the otherwhile those on board haul her
along until she is made fast. So I considered ourselves
very fortunate in discharging below the bridge. As soon
as we were made fast to the wharf the captain discharged
all hands but myself, and made a visit to his home while I
superintended the discharging and taking in ballast.
When he arrived I concluded to leave the vessel, so my
wife and I took the train for New Bedford. I remained
at home a short time and then started into the fish business,
but I did not succeed very well, so I sold out and gave it
up. I then hired out to work in a junk store, where I re
mained a few months, but it was not agreeable to me as I
was not used to working on shore.
I had for years been thinking about crossing the Atlantic
Ocean in a small boat, in fact I was very anxious to out
strip any attempt that had ever been made. Anyone would
naturally think that knowing what the ocean was by living

78 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
on it so many years would banish all thoughts of any such
attempt, but not so with me. I was venturesome and
daring and I thought if I could manage to eclipse all
others I could make considerable money by so doing. I
knew it would be a daring feat, had it not been I don't
think I would have pondered over it as much as I did.
The more I thought of it the more decided and determined
I became. While working in the junk store, unbeknown to every
body but my wife, I perfected my plans of a boat that I
considered capable of crossing from this country to Eng
land in. After looking over my plans very carefully for
several days I considered them perfect in every particular.
I formed them partially on the plan of a whaleboat, as
they were the most seaworthy of any kind ever built ; in
fact they could hardly be improved upon. But as I should
have to live right in her I had to form my plans accord
ingly. After satisfying myself that everything was as I
wanted it, I took my plans to a boat-builder named Samuel
Mitchell, on Fish Island, in the Acushnet River, adjoining
New Bedford by a bridge. He had become famous as a
whaleboat builder, and for that reason, coupled with my
acquaintance with him, I employed him to build my boat
exactly as I had planned her.
I do not remember whether any conversation ever passed
between us in regard to what use I intended to put her to
or not, as I was very careful not to speak of it to anyone,
even to my employers and fellow workmen. She was com
pleted about the tenth of May, 1877, so I removed her
from his shop and stowed her away for a few days. On
the following Saturday night I informed my employers
that I did not intend to work for them any longer, when,
as was natural, they asked my reasons for leaving them,
and I told them I was going to sea again. I did not -te

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 79
them that I was going in my dory boat, but the following
day, Sunday, they and nearly everybody else in New Bed
ford heard of it, and a desire to see the boat took pos
session of everybody. Everybody had something to talk
about, so it was as well, or better, advertised than if it
had been published in the newspapers.
It was the topic of the day, and many shook their heads
as much as to say, he must be crazy ; but whether I was
considered so or not, the object of my desire for years was
about to be tested, and nothing could change my mind.
As I, like all sailors, had spent my earnings as fast as I
made them, I wanted to get a little ahead for a rainy day,
and I thought if I could only succeed I could exhibit the
boat and myself, and by charging a small fee for admission
I could make a little money. The ocean had never been
crossed in so small a craft, and has not since, as mine was
the only one of her size that, to my knowledge, ever made
the attempt.
My intentions were to go from New Bedford, Massa
chusetts, to England, and the most important feature of the
trip was that, owing to the boat being so small, I could
not carry a chronometer, so the voyage must be made by
dead reckoning, depending on passing vessels to furnish
me with my position, as the captains always know just
what latitude and longitude they are in, and about the dis
tance from port, so my readers can see what a seemingly
rash undertaking I was about ; yet I was confident of suc
cess, and never for a moment doubted my reaching Eng
land in safety. I was positive my little boat could live
where a large vessel could, and I scanned her with a long
ing akin to love, as a good boat is a sailor's paradise.

CHAPTER IV

$

ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN IN A DORY BOAT
AS I began to make preparations to rig my boat with her
masts and sails, my wife was all anxiety about my in
tended trip, and the idea preyed on her mind until at
last she informed me that if I went she should go too.
This was something I had not thought of for a moment ;
and, again, how could two go with such a small craft, with
hardly room for one and turn around? But there I was,
face to it, and I knew my wife's courage, as I had seen it
tested, and I knew, without argument, that when she said
she was going she meart it, and that settled it. There
was no use trying to dissuade her, as it would only be
wasting breath, so I took the matter as coolly as possible.
Had I known things would have taken such a turn I would
have had my boat built a trifle larger on her account ; but
it could not be done now, as she was all built.
My readers can see how cramped we would be for room,
as I had the boat built just nineteen feet and seven inches
long, six feet and two inches wide, and thirty inches deep,
and she only drew thirteen inches of water, with us and
everything on board. Her foremast was twenty-one and
one-half feet long, and the mainmast was twenty and one-
half feet long. Her main boom was about ten feet long,
the foresail contained fifteen yards of light duck, and the
mainsail ten yards. Just twenty-five yards of sail to carry
two people across the Atlantic Ocean ! Just think of
it ! Her measurements were one ton and sixty-two one-
hundredths of a ton, her actual weight being about five
hundred pounds. She was decked over on top, and had
two scuttles, one forward and one aft. The one aft I had
to sit in to steer, so my readers can see plainly what a large

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 8l
amount of room we had to eat, drink and sleep in. It was
a vast difference between our limited accommodations and
the comforts of a palatial steamer to cross to England.
I rigged her as I intended, and had her photographed on
Fish Island before launching her ; the accompanying picture
below shows her exactly as she looked with myself and
wife on board. I then launched her, and the following
Monday put my kegs which were to contain fresh water for
drinking purposes on. board in position, and again she was
photographed. I gave it out that I with my wife would
start on the 28th of that month (May) . My intentions
were to have a trial trip in her, but I did not get a chance.
I kept her moored at Fish Island, and the following Sunday
the Reverend James Butler, of the Seamen's Bethel, held
religious services on the Island, which were largely attended,
as it looked as though the whole city had turned out.
The next day I put on board our provisions, which con
sisted of ninety pounds of biscuits, seventy-five pounds of
canned meats, and one hundred gallons of fresh water for
drinking purposes and for making tea or coffee. We also
carried a sufficient quantity of tea, coffee, sugar and other
light articles. The two scuttles I mentioned were eighteen
by twenty-four inches in size, and the one where Captain
Crapo would sit to steer was to be used for a dining table
(meaning, of course, the sliding cover).
The report of our intended voyage spread like wildfire,
and the papers everywhere published more or less in regard
to it, and I will give my readers the benefit of one which
appeared in the New York Times which read as follows :
"It is reported that a New Bedford sea captain has
started with his wife on a very perilous expedition. He
has undertaken to cross the Atlantic in a small boat of two
tons burden and measuring about twenty feet, and of course
he has been called a bold and reckless man by all the papers

52 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
which have written on the subject. That this is a correct
estimate of his character the New York Times feels more
than assured."
These words the Journal thinks hardly do justice to his
courage ; though this is not so much shown, the writer
imagines, in the fact of his attempting to cross the ocean
in a small boat as in his taking his wife with him on so
long and lonely a voyage. Very few husbands and wives
have been in each other's company or society without rest
or intermission for forty days, and. the New York Times
does not believe that this can be made to answer.
When nature placed men's offices' in town and their homes
in the suburbs she made provision for temporary separations
which are absolutely necessary. Married people living on
shore can always escape from each other's society on certain
occasions when escape seems desirable, but in a small boat
this is out of the question. When, goaded by the refusal of
the galley fire to burn, she begins an exhaustive analysis of
the captain's character and gradually shows that he is a
brutal and loathsome tyrant, he will be compelled to listen.
There is not a nook or corner of the boat to which the
clear tones of an earnest woman will not penetrate. When
in his turn he finds the coffee somewhat cold, and thereupon
expresses with all the resources of forcible language at the
command of an experienced sailor, the conviction that there
is no crime, from murder up to frying beefsteak, of which
she is not capable, she must either listen or jump overboard.
At first all may go well, that is to say, very much at first
— quite at the beginning of the voyage. Perhaps for the
first two days they may be happy; but about the third day
the writer is afraid that a sunburnt nose does not add to his
wife's attractiveness, and she, on her part, will ask herself
if it is possible for a woman to respect a man who uses
tobacco. Such little differences will surely arise, and the

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 83
remedy of a temporary separation being impossible, a week
— but a small portion of the forty days the voyage is to take
if all goes well — will probably land them in the middle of
a considerable " row."
The New York Times therefore predicts that the journey
will not be made, and pictures the travelers returning to the
starting place after a short absence, when the husband will
spring to land and make straight for Siberia by the shortest
route ; and the wife will rush to torrid zones with at least
equal rapidity, after, perhaps, having had one final claw at
the departing mariner.
As the greater portion of our food was cooked and in
cans, we merely had to warm it up when required to serve.
As cooking to any extent would be entirely out of the ques
tion, as our stove was a small kerosene lamp stove made to
hold a pint of oil, so my readers can plainly see what dis
advantages we were about to undergo, but our accommoda
tions were limited, so of course we had to get along the
best we could. And again, we were more or less afraid of
an explosion, as the boat, in heavy weather especially, would
jump and roll about so as to make it unsafe to put much oil
in at a time, so we never put in more than a gill at any time.
This being the day set for sailing, we had to hurry in
order to make our start without disappointing the multi
tude of people collected on the wharves and vessels, and
especially in row and sailboats, which were very numerous.
In fact, I never before or since saw so many boats on the
river on any occasion. And as it had been published in the
papers, many people came on the noon train to see us.
Ladies, especially, would force themselves through the
crowd in order to get near enough to shake hands with my
wife, and many there were more than surprised to see the
miniature boat we were going in. Surprise and wonder
could be seen pictured on their faces, and no doubt a great

84 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
many of them were saying to themselves, they will not go
far on that little boat and will soon be back again, the
laughing stock of the community. The most noticeable of
all at this time was an old lady that I think arrived on the
train who forced her way to the side of my wife. Her gray
hair denoted the passing of many summers and as many
dreary winters. She shook the hand of my wife in a very
affectionate manner, saying : " My dear child, are you not
afraid to trust yourself in such a small boat, on such a
dangerous undertaking? You are young and very brave,
and I earnestly hope you will merit what you deserve."
My old father was as near us and our boat as he could
possibly get, crying and wringing his hands in a manner
pitiful to see in an old man of his years, and constantly
saying, " The two foolish children, I shall never see them
again." All this time I was getting our things on board,
and as it was nearing our time of starting I did not have
time to stow things as they should be. My drogue, line
and anchor, compass and water kegs and many other
smaller articles were presented to me by friends. Many of
my wife's friends were trying to persuade her from making
the attempt, but to no avail. She was as determined as I
was. All this time the crowd was growing larger, as many
quit work to see us off.
At last I was ready to cast off, and was about to do so
when Captain Humphrey Seabury of New Bedford, a well
known and respected citizen, appeared and presented me
with a compass that had probably been used on more than
one whaleship, and was a reliable one at all times, and I
was more than pleased to receive it. He also gave me two
charts and an old fashioned square lantern,rthe fore side of
glass fitted to slide out when necessary to clean. It was
fitted to burn candles in, and he also gave me a quantity of
candles to burn in it. He, being an old sea captain, knew

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 85
what would be the most essential at such a time, and I was
very thankful to him for them. As soon as I cast off our
line a general hurrah was given and handkerchiefs were
waving everywhere. The yachts at their moorings fired a
salute as we passed and many boats sailed down the bay in
company with us, the boats in the harbor being so thick as
to make it almost impossible to get through, and all of them
wanted to keep as near to us as they possibly could.
As my boat was so small the Custom House officials
could not issue marine documents to me, so I carried the
following letter : —
Custom House, New Bedford, Mass.
Collector's Office, May 28th, 1877.
Captain Thomas Crapo and his wife, both of this city,
being about to sail from this port in a boat called the "New
Bedford," measuring i^s tons, bound for London, Eng
land, requests me to give him a letter, as, on account of the
small size of his vessel, I cannot issue " marine documents."
I, therefore, desire to make it 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 his voyage may be success
fully accomplished.
J. A. P. ALLEN,
Collector of Customs.
As we had hurriedly put our things on board they were
not stowed as we intended to have them, as at present
they were all in a heap. While we must make some
preparations for trimming the boat I found I should have
to anchor or run in to some port, and as I perceived she
was leaking considerable on account of not having been
in the water long enough to swell her tight, I decided to
run in at Vineyard Haven for the night. In crossing the

86 life and adventures of
bay the wind blew quite fresh from the southwest and the
boat behaved very creditably. As we arrived off Woods
Holl the wharves everywhere were black with people, as
telegrams had been sent to them to be on the lookout for
us, and cheer upon cheer rent the air while hats and
handkerchiefs were waving from every available point.
We continued on to Vineyard Haven and ran up along
side of the wharf, when I found that the boat had leaked
more than a foot of water, and had wet our bedding and
other things. A very enthusiastic crowd of people met
us and gave us a hearty welcome. It was about six
o'clock in the afternoon when we arrived, and as night
was fast approaching and I wanted to get away as soon
as possible I began taking the things out to dry, and after
they were removed I had a tin pump made to pump her
out with. We also disposed of a large quantity of photo
graphs of the boat with ourselves on board. We were
also invited to go to the hotel called the Mansion House,
which invitation we gratefully accepted, especially as it
was tendered to us as a compliment by the people of
Vineyard Haven.
After we arrived we had tea and adjourned to the hotel
parlors, where we were asked all sorts of questions rela
tive to our intended trip. We retired early in order to
get as much sleep as possible, as it would probably be a
long time, if ever, before we would again sleep in a nice
comfortable bed. We arose about daylight, and after par
taking of a breakfast we walked down towards our little
boat, followed by a very eager throng of people. On
arriving we found that many of our things were still damp,
so we waited for them to dry. About nine o'clock I found
that our things were about dry, so we put them on board
again, and was about to cast off, when the Reverend L. R.
Wait, of Vineyard Haven, delivered a short speech, and at

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 87
the close of his remarks he handed my wife a letter, telling
her to open it at sea.
This was on the twenty-ninth of May, 1877. We then
cast off our lines and hoisted our sails, amid cheers from
the crowd assembled on the wharf. The wind was from
the southward and westward, and was blowing quite fresh.
Handkerchiefs and hats continued to wave nearly as long
as we could see the wharf. Quite a fleet of vessels were
at anchor in the harbor, the crews of which also cheered
us lustily as we passed them. We headed direct towards
Chatham, on Cape Cod, by crossing Vineyard Sound close
in towards the north shore. We had comparatively calm
water. Our colors flying informed the people on shore
who we were, and those that did see us cheered as we
passed by them. Our leg of mutton sails were, no doubt,
a strange sight to many, as none of that make are used
around here or there ; but they are used extensively by the
inhabitants of islands in mid-ocean, as they hold the wind
below, instead of aloft, therefore they are considered far
safer. The report of our coming seemed to have preceded us,
as on our arrival, about four o'clock in the afternoon, we
were met by a multitude of people. When running in we
struck several times on sand bars, but did not do any
damage to our boat. As we stepped on shore we were
surrounded by a large number of inquiring people, that
asked all manner of questions relative to our intended
trip across the Atlantic. We could only answer them
civilly, and Captain Darius Hammond extended an invita
tion to us to make his home ours during our stay, which
must be short, at best, as we were anxious to be on our
way. We accepted this kind invitation in the same spirit
as it was tendered, and then proceeded to his home, but a
short distance away.

66 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
The next morning the captain and myself went around
to find a carpenter, as I wanted to make a few alterations
to my boat. The two scuttles which I spoke of in the
first part of this adventure were cut out eighteen by
twenty-four inches, and the top was rather too low to suit
us, as we wanted them somewhat higher and fitted so they
would slide. We were at last fortunate in finding a man
that could do it at once, so he set to work and put comb
ings around each, and fitted them as we wanted them.
After this was completed I also had two hundred pounds
of iron put in for ballast, as what we had was not sufficient
to keep her steady. After this was completed, I had a
painter to paint her a good thick coat, to make her water
tight, if possible, as I did not care about having too much
water inside, as we did not have any room for it, and it
was not to our liking, as there would be plenty all around
us, in case we needed it for anything.
Repairs and painting were finished on the first of June,
and the next day, June 2d, at two o'clock in the afternoon,
we hove up our anchor, and as we would have to proceed
through a very narrow passage, a man volunteered to tow
us out with his dory. The crowd on shore gave three
rousing cheers as we started, and hats and handkerchiefs
were waving all along the shore. We carried from there
two letters that were handed to us by a Captain Taylor
(whose son was in Liverpool, England), who requested me
to mail them as soon as we landed.
On arriving in deep water, our pilot left us, with our
thanks for his favor, and we then squared off for our desti
nation, England. From this time until our arrival we were
to undergo what we had never dreamed of. Just imagine
to yourself what it would be in pleasant weather, to be
several miles out of sight of land, in a small boat, just for
one day and night. You would think it the longest night

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 89
you had ever seen. Yet here we were, sailing across the
boundless waste of waters, all the time going farther and
farther away, and whatever the weather should be, — rain,
thunder and lightning, or a heavy gale of wind, — we
would have to grin and take it as it came ; the thought
was not veiy inviting, to say the least.
We started on our course with a moderate south wind
and a comparatively smooth sea. Land faded from our
view about five o'clock, and the sun soon began to draw
close to the horizon, which plainly told us that night was
fast approaching. At last it sank below the surface, and
darkness soon settled over us. I found it hard work to
keep awake, but I knew that I must exert myself to do so.
Mrs. Crapo retired early, which left me alone with nothing
but water in sight. The wind was blowing about what is
called a three knot breeze, and the little boat skimmed
over the surface of the water like a duck. Mrs. Crapo' s
apartments were not large enough for her to lose herself
in when she lay down to sleep. Her feet rested on the
water kegs, and should she desire to turn over she would
first have to rise ; so my readers can form an idea what
limited accommodations we were subjected to, and must
put up with for a considerable length of time.
At last signs of daylight appeared, and as the black pall
of night was lifted nothing but a dreary waste of water
could be seen on every hand. Soon the welcome voice of
my partner, bidding me good morning, was heard, which
was pleasant to hear at such a time. Soon the glorious
orb of day rose in all its majestic splendor, and it was a
pretty sight to see bright rays along the water glistening
and sparkling like burnished gold.
We soon began preparations for our first breakfast.
Mrs. Crapo put a gill of oil in our lamp stove, and lighted
it, preparatory to making coffee. She then unearthed our

90 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
monster coffeepot, which, when full, held but a pint, and
very soon the pleasant aroma of boiling coffee greeted our
nostrils, and it made us hungry to think of it. My appe
tite was somewhat sharpened, and as soon as all was in
readiness I was ready to do justice to it by eating a good
hearty meal ; and we both felt in better trim to endure
whatever it was our lot to face, as nothing excels a full
stomach on any occasion, especially as we were alone, and
as you may say had nothing to do but eat, drink and sleep.
Yet I had to steer the boat as straight towards our destina
tion as possible, at all times ; even while eating I kept her
on her course.
I wish further to inform my readers how we had to
make our coffee. As the motion of the boat rendered it
unsafe to leave a lighted lamp stove anywhere unattended,
my wife placed it between my feet, so the motion of the
boat would not have any effect upon it, as no one knows
when they will explode. It would, I am sure, make a
person laugh to see us preparing our meals ; but it was our
only source, as our kitchen, pantry, sitting-room, dining-
room, and parlor, were all connected, and it did not take
us long to go to any part of the house. Should my wife
be reading in the sitting-room or parlor, I could summon
her at any time by merely whispering, so we had no use
for speaking tubes.
After we had finished our morning meal, the utensils for
preparing it were again put away, and we passed the long
hours of the morning (we did not expect any callers so did
not put ourselves out any in making any useless prepara
tions) in relating little incidents connected with our at
tempted voyage. Thus the day wore on, and as the only
reading matter we had with us was a Bible and a few
tracts, we had to converse on different subjects, as the time
began to hang heavy as the sun passed over our heads.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 9 1
This being the third of June, and about four o'clock in the
afternoon, I concluded to heave the boat to and have a
short nap, as I had steered from our starting the day pre
vious, making a total of twenty-six consecutive hours with
out rest, and tired nature began to assert her rights. So
I lowered the foresail and hauled aft the main sheet, and
then curled myself up for a snooze, and it did not take me
long to pass the portals of sweet sleep, as I was very tired,
as there was not much chance to move my limbs while
steering. While I was sleeping the vessel was in charge of my
mate, who had proven herself to be an accomplished sailor.
I slept until about eight o'clock, when I hoisted my fore
sail and slacked off my main sheet and again headed for
England, the land of roses, which lay about east by north
from us. The weather continued to be fair but the nights
were very chilly. My mate again retired early, which left
me monarch of all I surveyed, and with a good four knot
breeze we went skimming along ; the only thing to break
the monotony was the noise of the boat cutting through the
water. I eagerly watched for signs of daylight, as I knew
that a cup of good hot coffee would not only refresh but
drive the chilly, numb feeling away. As I sat cramped all
up in such a small space so long it was a luxury to get a
chance to stretch my legs and arms.
At last the morning of June fourth greeted us with a
four knot wind and water about the same as on the preced
ing day. On casting our eyes about we sighted a number
of fishing vessels anchored on what is called the " George's
Banks." We ran up to one, which proved to be the
schooner A. J. Chapman, of New London, Conn., fishing
for halibut. The crew at the time were absent in the
dories attending to their trawls, so the captain was the only
one we saw on board. He asked us where we were bound

92 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
and numerous other questions. He also coaxed us to come
on board and get a cup of good hot coffee, but as we had
just had some we respectfully declined the invitation with
thanks. He then proposed for us to come on board and
stretch our limbs, but this we also declined. So we bade
him good-bye and sailed on our course.
In the afternoon we sighted two vessels on the wind
making to the southward and westward and about four
miles from us. About four o'clock in the afternoon I
again hove the boat to and took another nap until eight in
the evening, which made another twenty hours of steering
without rest. About this time my wife began to feel a
little qualmish, as the motion of the boat was considerable
quicker than a large vessel, and as the boat had begun
to dance considerably it had .the above-mentioned effect
on her.
The following was taken from a New York paper and
printed in the New Bedford Standard, which was mailed
to me in England :
The "New Bedford."
Fishing schooner A. J. Chapman, which arrived at New
York, from George's Banks, Wednesday, reports speaking
the New. Bedford June fourth, lat. 41.55, lon. 67.10.
Captain Crapo and wife were well. This, however, was
two or three days previous to the date the New Bedford
was spoken, which was before reported.
When I awoke we again made sail and sailed on our
course, and as my wife was getting quite nervous she re
mained up instead of going to bed. She kept me company
until nearly daylight, when tired nature gave way and she
lay down to sleep, and after a short time I hove the boat to
and took a nap myself. The wind still held to the west
ward and the sea was quite calm. This was on the fifth

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 93
of June, our third day from Chatham . We sailed along
all day without seeing anything more than gulls and por
poises, which were quite numerous. Again another night
closed in and the ripple of the water against the boat was
all there was to break the monotony. As Mrs. Crapo re
mained awake it made the time pass more pleasantly, as
the nights seemed very long. The next day, June the
sixth, the sun arose in all its splendor. It was a pleasing
sight to yvatch it rise, seemingly from out the ocean, and
soar aloft to cast its pleasant rays on land and sea. As
there was no sail in sight I again hove the boat to and took
a nap until about eight o'clock when I again made sail and
proceeded on our course. We saw a great many storm
petrel, better known as Mother Carey's chickens. After
we had got well under way we decided to open the letter
handed to us at Vineyard Haven, which we were to open
and read at sea.- We broke the seal and on opening it the
following met our eyes :
Vineyard Haven, May 29th, 1877.
Brother and Sister Crapo : — When you are at sea re
member you have the prayers of millions to cheer you on
your perilous journey. We commend you to the God who
watches over you on sea as well as on the land. Commit
your ways to Him and be calm in times of danger. You
go with the good wishes of many.
Yours in good feeling,
Lyman R. Wait, Minister.
This was encouraging, indeed, to think that, away from
the bustle of the busy world, alone on the broad expanse
of water many miles away from home and friends, these
kind words were felt with an intense longing to shake the
hands of those who would eagerly watch for reports from
us from time to time, yet could they but realize what we

94 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
must endure before reaching the goal we so eagerly sought
their anxiety would be far greater for our safety. As
many, many times large vessels go to sea and are never
heard from again, either burned at sea or wrecked in a
gale. And for us two persons to venture in such a frail
craft was what set the millions of people to wondering
what the result would be. So we talked over that letter
for quite a length of time, as it was a good subject for us;
thus the day passed and night again spread her mantle over
the world.
We did not mind the voyage by daylight but after night
set in it was far from pleasant, as in the daylight we could
see whatever was within reach of our sight, but darkness
hid everything ; and it is very surprising, when we realize
what quantities of grampus, porpoise, blackfish, school
killers, whales, and other large monsters there are in the
ocean, that we were not smashed in pieces in the night or
that none of them came up to the surface under our boat,
which as they cannot breathe under water they come to the
surface to do so. Yet we are pleased to say nothing of the
kind happened, and we earnestly hoped the balance of our
perilous journey would be -as safe for us. At last the long
night passed and daylight was upon us. After my usual
nap we again proceeded on our journey. This being the
seventh of June made it our fifth day at sea.
My wife began to feel decidedly better, as she had now
got used to the motion of the boat, which made it far
pleasanter for both of us. Nothing appeared in sight at
daylight, or when I awoke from my usual nap, and after
we had partaken of our breakfast we continued on, with a
four-knot breeze from the southwest. About one o'clock
in the afternoon we sighted a sail, and as it appeared to be
coming our way we continued on our course, and very
soon we could see her hull very plainly. She continued to

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 95
¦draw closer, so we headed for her, and as we drew close
up with her I spoke her. She proved to be the ship Gus-
tave and Oscar, from Bremen, bound to New York. After
informing the captain of our intended voyage, I asked
him what our position was. He informed us that we were
about two hundred miles due south from Liverpool, Nova
Scotia. We requested him to report us, which he prom
ised to do ; and below, kind reader, you will find the
report he gave, which was printed in a New York paper.
We then parted company, receiving hearty cheers from the
crew, and the ship's colors were dipped to us as a parting
salute, and as we were sailing in opposite directions it was
not long before she was entirely out of sight.
The report of the ship Gustave and Oscar, which was
printed, as the reader will readily see, before the A. J.
Chapman arrived in port ; therefore, although the Chap
man spoke us first, her report was given to the world after
the one below, which read as follows, which was copied
exact from the papers now in my possession :
"The New Bedford Spoken Five Days Out.''
New York, June ioth. The ship Gustave and Oscar,
from Bremen, reports that on June 7th, latitude 42.20,
longitude 64.22, spoke small two-masted boat from New
Bedford for London, having one man and woman on board,
undoubtedly Captain Crapo and his wife. Crapo's position
when spoken was at a point nearly due south from Liver
pool, Nova Scotia, and almost due east from Boston.
Chatham, from whence he made his last start, is in longi
tude 70, consequently he had, up to the time he was
spoken, in longitude 64,22, sailed five degrees and thirty-
eight minutes, or about 5 2-3 degrees. Falmouth, Eng
land, where Mr. Crapo intends stopping, is in about
longitude 5, and the whole distance across in a straight

g6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
line from Chatham is about 65 degrees. The length of a
degree of longitude in latitude 42 is 51 1-4 miles, conse
quently the New Bedford had sailed, when spoken, a little
over 290 miles from Chatham, out of the 3,300 and over
which she must sail before reaching Falmouth.
So my readers can more fully understand by this report
just what our situation was when spoken, and although we
had been sailing along most of the time for five days when
spoken we had only covered a very small distance, com
paratively. Yet we were in good spirits, and had not at
this time encountered any serious weather, yet we were
liable to at any time.
Shortly after she disappeared night again spread her
mantle over us. The wind died down and left the sea in
a dead calm, and to make things more uninviting, a thick
fog set in, which made us veiy uncomfortable; as my
readers can imagine what a cold, damp fog in the night is,
especially out at sea in a small boat. About nine o'clock
we were given a surprise party, which at that time was
not received with much enthusiasm, as we were put to
considerable inconvenience, both in mind and body, the
participants being a large school of sperm whales, which
forced their company upon us uninvited.
This was a bad predicament to be in, as sperm whales
are very dangerous at all times ; and if one of them should
by chance touch our boat he would slash it into fragments
with his flukes. They have very small eyes, and as they
are quite a distance back from the end of the head, they
can only see on each side of them ; so my readers can just
imagine one of them swimming along, with his large flat
nose bunting into our little boat, which would undoubtedly
have tipped her over and left us to the mercy of the whales
and sea.
My wife was very much frightened, and she was not to

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 97
blame for being so, as our position was rather precarious.
She asked me if there was any danger, and of course I did
not want to make her any worse by telling her just what
danger we were in. She wanted me to shoot them, or any
thing to drive them away ; and as a splash in the water or
a strange noise will sometimes scare them off, I decided to
try to get rid of them, as many times they came so close
that the vapor they blow out, which is their breath, would
blow over us and the boat, like steam from the spout of a
teakettle, so I made a noise with my rudder which soon
had the desired effect. My fear was that in sounding one
of them might rise to the surface under the boat, in case of
which our fate would never have been known, as we would
have been thrashed to pieces in their fury. And we were
both easier in mind when they left us, and we surely did
not extend to them an invitation to call again, as they had
forced their company upon us for nearly seven hours, which
had caused us to dislike them very much, and their con
tinued puffing was not a pleasing sound in our ears as there
was not much music to it, their voices not being properly
cultivated. We looked for their reappearance until daylight, and
were pleased to be disappointed. The fog still hung heavy
around us and a light breeze sprang up from the southeast,
and as the whales were not to be seen or heard, I took my
usual nap. This was on June 8th. When I awoke we
had our breakfast and pulled in our drogue and squared
away on our course. Everything went well considering
the thick fog, which kept us busy listening for the fog
horns of passing vessels. I had used mine until it was
played out and practically useless, which made us more on
the alert as we were in danger of being run down, as we
could only use our lungs, providing we heard a vessel's
warning of her approach.

98 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
Early in the afternoon it began to rain very hard. This
was more than we wished for as I was drenched to the
skin, and to sit all cramped up and keep her on her course
was not very pleasant at best. One does not dread a rain
storm on shore, as by bundling up and with an umbrella
they can get along very comfortably, but I could do neither,
as I had to sit still and let the rain beat on my unprotected
body as it pleased. I was not afraid of taking cold, as that
is a very unusual thing at sea, yet in years to come it is
liable to cause rheumatism. This being on the 9th of June,
coupled with our trials with the whales and the first heavy
rainstorm, made the date impressed very strongly on our
memory. Towards night the rain ceased, but the fog still
hung on and darkness soon settled around us. Another
tedious night was upon us.
June 10th was ushered in with the fog still holding on as
though it meant to watch over us at all times, and seemed
to like our company far more than we wished it did. We
heard the fog signals of two vessels but could not see them
on account of the thick fog that encircled us. At times it
would light up a little and then shut in as before and we
had to keep our eyes and ears on the alert at all times, as
we were in the track of vessels sailing to and from the
United States. Thus the day passed and again night
settled around us.
June nth opened with the fog still holding its own, and
a moderate breeze. The same continued through the 12th
and 13th. The morning of the 14th opened with a heavy
wind from the southwest. The wind increased so much
that during the afternoon I hove to and put out my drogue
to steady her. The seas ran mountains high, and I soon
found that my drogue was insufficient to hold the boat
steady, it being too light. Oh, how I wished I had some
thing to make a heavier one, but I did not have the neces-

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 99
sary articles to do so, so I must make it answer in some
way. We laid to until daylight of the 15th, when the wind
moderated and we again started on our course. On figur
ing up by dead reckoning I found we were in lat. 43.46,
lon. 58.54. During the day we were again surrounded by
a school of whales, and I found it hard work to steer clear
from them. Again night spread her mantle over us,
and with the fog still holding on we passed the dreary
night. In the early morning I took a nap, the first sleep
I had had for twenty-four hours. As we were having
more or less heavy weather regular meals were out of the
question, so we ate whenever we chose. This was June
16th. We sailed along until about eight o'clock in the
evening, -when we hove to under our drogue and took cat
naps through the night, at all times realizing our danger
on account of the thick fog, yet the night passed without
accident. The next morning, about seven o'clock, the wind had
moderated, so we took in our drogue and set sail for a start
on our course, east by south. We were now in lat. 43.40
lon. 56.25. This was on the seventeenth. With a fresh
breeze we sailed along. The wind was from the south
west and began to increase until, at last, I furled the main
sail, and about one in the afternoon I had to furl the foresail
and heave to with my drogue out to steady her. The wind
kept increasing and the seas ran mountains high. It is
impossible for me to try to picture to those unacquainted
with the sea what a heavy gale is, as large ships are tossed
about like chips and many times are lost, with all on board.
So my readers can form a little idea what a position we
were in in our little cockleshell of a boat, but we rode out
the gale at last.
As we again hauled in our drogue about eleven o'clock

IOO LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
on the morning of June 18th, we again set sail and pro
ceeded on our course, before the wind. The seas were
running so heavy that the boat labored very hard, and it
often looked as though we would be swamped ; as the high
seas came up behind us it looked as though it would com
pletely envelop us from sight. When in the trough of the
sea it looked like a large wall in front and back with no
chance of escape, but we would rise on top again like a
duck and shoot ahead ready to surmount the next one. By
dead reckoning we were in lat. 43.43, lon. 55.30.
Thus we sailed during the day and night, and the morn
ing of the 19th opened with the wind considerably lighter
from the northwest and quite clear, and by four o'clock in
the afternoon it was very calm. We were now in lat. 43.32,
lon. 54.50. The wind increased again towards night and
before morning was again blowing a heavy gale.
The 20th was ushered in with the wind still increasing
and blowing from the south and a heavy rain set in. I
managed to catch a small pitcher full, while laid to under
our drogue. Late in the day the wind took a slant to the
west and moderated, when we again started, steering east-
southeast by the compass. The wind again increased, so
I furled the mainsail and ran before the wind under the
foresail with a heavy sea running from the west. I
had occasion to go forward, and when I returned I acci
dentally stepped on my compass and broke the glass, but
did not do any other damage to it. I then took two of the
glasses from my lantern and fitted it the best I could, as
the small one I had was no good at all.
June 2 ist opened with a heavy gale from the westward.
We ran under foresail, and about two in the afternoon we
sighted a fisherman at anchor with a storm trysail up, as
the sea was running very heavy, on the Grand Banks
(Banks of Newfoundland) . We were then running under

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE IOI
our foresail so we ran down and spoke her, and on inquiry
we were informed that we were in lat. 43.43. The vessel
proved to be a fisherman from Provincetown, but as she
had so many boats around her we could not get her name.
It was about three o'clock in the afternoon when we spoke
her. We ran by and hove to in sight of her with our
drogue out ahead. About five in the afternoon, while
under our drogue, an English barque named the Amenori
ran down and spoke us. She was from Baltimore, bound
for Glasgow, Scotland. The captain asked if we wanted
any assistance, and as we replied in the negative they pro
ceeded after giving us the longitude, 50.1. As they passed
they gave us a rousing cheer, and cries of good luck to you.
During the evening the wind moderated, but after mid
night, during the early morning hours of the 22d, it again
increased, harder than before. I took in my mainsail and
scudded under my foresail. I did not want to stop again
if I could help it as I had just got under way, as the wind
increased again and it was considerable work to keep
putting out the drogue, but as the wind still kept increas
ing and the seas ran so high I had to heave to in order to
insure our safety, and as everything appeared in good
shape I took a short nap. As the gale continued I had a
good time to rest, which I needed very much. During the
time I figured by dead reckoning and found we were in
lat. 43.54. I did not take the longitude every day. About
five o'clock in the afternoon the wind took a lull and the
sea quieted down a little, so I hauled in my drogue and
squared away under our foresail ; continued under the fore
sail through the night with the wind from the westward.
The 23d was ushered in with a fresh breeze from the
south, and it continued to increase. As we were sailing
along with the wind on our beam we nearly capsized, and
as I saw it would probably prove dangerous to continue I

102 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
hove to under the drogue. ¦ Soon a heavy tempest set in
and continued with very heavy rain nearly all night. My
readers all know what a heavy thunderstorm is on shore,
but it is nothing compared to a thunderstorm at sea ; the
sky settles as black as ink, when the thunder fairly shakes
one's whole being and flashes of lightning nearly blind you.
Simple words cannot adequately describe it. Every flash
that dashes across the blackened heavens is plainly seen as
there is nothing above the surface to break off the view, and
the constant roll of the thunder, coupled with the drenching
rain, was enough to make the strongest man quail.
Thunderstorms, as everybody knows, are never very
pleasant, as they are almost always coupled with more or
less danger. Many times the lightning strikes houses, trees,
or human beings, and for us two to be alone in a little boat
hundreds of miles from land and nothing but water in sight
no wonder we were more or less frightened, and we were
more than pleased when it passed over, as I was as wet as
a drowned rat and had to keep a sharp lookout for fear of
being run down by some ocean steamer or sailing vessel.
As I before stated, the drogue I had was far from being
heavy enough to hold the boat steady, and really I class it
as an interposition of Providence as I chanced to see a keg
floating towards us, which I lost no time in securing, when
I knocked the hoops off and cut them off with a hatchet,
leaving them about fifteen inches in diameter. I then put
three of them together and fastened them with rope yarns.
I then took an old canvas hammock I had on board and cut
it in the shape of a draw water bucket and sewed it to the
hoops with rope yarns. I then fastened it with spun yarn
so it would pull even, about the same as a bail to a water
pail, only I put on two, one opposite to the other. After
completing it I fastened it to a line five fathoms longer than
the one I had and put it out, and it was a godsend indeed
as it, coupled with the other, held us very nicely.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 103
During the night, and especially the early hours of the
morning, I was kept busy hauling in on the drogue line
when I saw a very large sea coming and ease it off when it
passed, which was tedious work. This was the morning
of the 24th. Early in the forenoon we sighted a sail head
ing toward the westward and we were expecting she would
get by without seeing us, but when she was within about a
mile of us she veered from her course and ran down towards
us. She proved to be an ocean steamship Batavia, from
Liverpool for Boston, under command of Captain John E.
Moreland. As she came close to us the captain hailed us and asked
if we wanted any assistance, to which I replied " No." He
asked where we were bound, when I replied " to England."
He then said that when he sighted us he thought it was a
boat with survivors from some wrecked vessel. I then
stood on deck holding on to my mainmast. He then asked
if we wanted to be taken off, to which I again replied
" No," but I said I should like to be reported. All this
time handkerchiefs were waving from nearly every deadlight
on the steamer. The captain gave us the lat. 44, lon. 48.20.
We then parted company as the steamer proceeded on her
course, dipping her flags as a salute to us to which we
responded by dipping ours. The accompanying picture
shows us as sketched by the mate of the steamer at the time,
who presented it to me about six months after in New York,
as I took dinner with him on board. The captain at the
time gave me a letter certifying the fact of his speaking us
at the time. Following is a copy of the letter : —
New York, Jan. 29th, 1878.
I hereby certify that I spoke the boat "New Bedford"
in latitude 44.00 n., longitude 48.00 w., bound to England,
and manned by a man and woman, at 9 A. M., June 20th,

BOAT IN GALE OF WIND WHEN STEAMSHIP "BATAVIA" SPOKE US

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 105
1877. At that time they reported themselves in good con
dition and required nothing.
John E. Moreland,
Commander Cunard Steamship " Batavia."
As I had requested Captain Moreland to report us on his
arrival, the following which appeared in the daily papers
proved that he did so. The report read thus : —
Crapo Spoken.
seen in mid-ocean  all well  in want of nothing.
Cunard steamship Batavia arrived Monday at Boston,
from Liverpool, and reported that on Wednesday, June
20th, at 9.15 A. M., a small sailboat was sighted. The
steamer, after bearing down upon her, stopped within hail
ing distance. It proved to be the little boat New Bedford,
with Captain Thomas Crapo and wife on board. They
reported having experienced heavy weather, but were both
well and in want of nothing. The officers of the steamer
gave them their position as latitude 44 north, longitude 48
west. The New Bedford, it will be remembered, sailed from
this port Monday, May 28th, and from Chatham, her real
point of departure, Saturday, June 2d. She was last
spoken June 7th in lat. 42.20, lon. 64.22. She had sailed
in the neighborhood of 850 miles since previously spoken
and 1,140 miles since leaving Chatham.
I wish to state to my readers that there is a slight mis
take in the report of the Batavia, as the paper stated that
she spoke us on the 20th of June, but it is entered in my
log book as the 24th, which was the time we were spoken.
I explain this so my readers will not be misled in the
dates and positions of our voyage.
The gale continued through the night with the seas

106 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
running mountains high with the wind from the westward.
The boat labored very hard and the seas were continually
breaking over her, which showed the velocity of the wind.
About nine o'clock on the morning of the 25th I hauled in
the drogue, which I had tended for the past eighteen hours,
and proceeded on our course, steering east-southeast by
the compass. We continued on through the day and the
following night until daylight of the 26th, when I hove to
and took a nap. When I awoke the sky was still very
heavy and overcast, and no signs of the sun breaking
through. The wind had moderated but the seas were still
running very high ; nothing but gulls and porpoises in
sight, the porpoises many times coming so close to our
boat that I could touch them. Later in the day the wind
increased and again blew quite heavy, but we continued to
run under our foresail.
Along towards night we sighted a Swansea brig, which
ran down and spoke us. The captain says, " Give us a
line and we will tow you." "We are not crossing the
ocean that way," I replied. The seas were running so
high and her name was so badly painted we could not make
it out, all we could make out was the word Swansea.
About an hour after speaking the brig we saw a very large
sunfish, which measured, I should judge, all of three feet
across the back. These sunfish are a very queer-looking
fish, the under part very much resembling a scallop. They
are not good for eating purposes ; the only part I ever heard
of being put to use was the liver which is very much
sought for, as the oil from it is claimed to be very good for
the relief of that painful disease, rheumatism.
We continued on through the night with a strong wind
until about four o'clock in the morning of June 27th, when
I took my usual nap, and after breakfast started again
with the wind blowing from the southwest. I steered

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 107
east by the compass to keep out of the trough of the sea
as they were still running very high. And before noon it
began to rain very hard, which soon wet me to the skin,
and we began to ship large quantities of water, which
made it very unpleasant for us. We ran along until about
six o'clock in the afternoon when, owing to the increase
of the wind and heavy seas, I again hove to and put out
my drogue.
During the early hours of the night the wind took a
slant to the northwest and increased in its fury but mod
erated again towards morning, so much so that about
seven o'clock of the 28th I hauled in our drogue and pro
ceeded on our course with the wind from the west. About
nine o'clock in the forenoon we sighted a sail heading to
the westward, and we were probably seen by them about
the same time. We sighted them as they changed their
course and headed for us, and as she arrived within hailing
distance the captain hailed us. She proved to be the
Bremen barque Amphitrite, from Bristol, England, bound
to Quebec, under command of Captain Geares. He invited
us to come on board, but we respectfully declined ; but as
the captain's wife urged us so hard we at last consented to
go on board for a short time.
The captain then ordered the sailors to get down in our
boat to fend her off and keep her from pounding against
the side of the ship, and we then went on board. And
what a relief that was to our tired and cramped limbs ;
simple words cannot adequately describe the sensation, as
we had been cramped into a small compass where we
could scarcely turn around for twenty-six days, and to
once more be permitted to walk, run or jump was pleasure
indeed. As we stepped on board we were greeted with
applause from all on board, and the captain and his wife,
who were a newly married couple, escorted us down into

108 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
their cabin ; at the same time issuing orders to haul
aback the vessel's yards to keep her from sailing along.
We were pleasantly entertained while on board, and
dinner was served and we all sat down, which also was
very pleasing for us to have a chance to sit down and
quietly partake of a well-prepared meal placed on a table
and comfortable chairs to sit in.
We remained on board about three quarters of an hour.
While on board I wrote two letters directed to New Bed
ford, which the captain was to mail for me upon his arrival
in port. We then made preparations to go aboard of our
boat again, and we were prevailed upon to accept two
bottles of choice wine which we were very grateful for.
We then went aboard and our lines were cast off, good-byes
were said, and amid cheers from all we parted company
and sailed on our course. The crew were waving hand
kerchiefs and hats as long as we could see them, to which
we responded by dipping our colors.
During our conversation at dinner I requested the cap
tain to report us upon his arrival, and to prove that he did
the following shows, which was printed in the papers : —
The New Bedford Reported
captain and mrs. crapo eat dinner on board
barque amphitrite  the voyagers well
Captain Geares of the barque Amphitrite, from Bristol,
England, reported that June 26th, in lat. 44.39 north, lon.
43 west, met the twenty- foot boat (schooner rigged whale-
boat) New Bedford, twenty-two days out, with Mr. and
Mrs. Crapo on board. Hove to and the two voyagers
boarded the Amphitrite. They remained to dinner and
expressed themselves well satisfied so far with the voyage
to Europe, and stated that they had enjoyed good health.
At parting Captain Geares provided them with wine and

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 109
water and a few small articles, when the two vessels sepa
rated, the New Bedford steering east-northeast, and the
ship's company gave them three cheers and wished them
Godspeed. I wish here to call the attention of my readers to the fact
that the above report claims that the vessel spoke us June
26th, when in reality, according to my log, it was June
28th. Yet it does not matter which it is, only I don't wish
to make any false statements if possible.
We watched her until she disappeared from view, and
we were again alone upon the broad Atlantic with nothing
but water in sight. While on board the Amphitrite I
noticed that according to her compass mine was about two
points out, no doubt caused by my stepping on it. This
being so would be liable to carry us considerably farther to
the southward than we wanted to go, but I was now on
my guard and could steer accordingly. Later in the day
the wind took a slant, and began to blow quite heavy and
the seas began to make very rapidly, and to cap the climax
rain squalls set in which wet me to the skin. As the wind
increased I hove to and put out my drogue and laid to until
about five o'clock in the morning of the 29th, when we
hauled it in and proceeded on.
About ten in the forenoon we spoke the English barque
Pool Scar of Liverpool, from Lubec to the English Chan
nel. After parting company with her the wind again in
creased and we outsailed the Pool Scar by leading her
about two miles. Later the wind canted to the northwest,
which gave her a chance to show us her heels as all of her
sails would now draw to a good advantage ; she easily drew
along and passed us in the night. The captain gave us
the lon. as 37-12 by the chronometer. The morning of
the 30th dawned clear and beautiful, but the wind soon
began to blow quite heavily. The seas made fast and

IIO LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
the wind continued to increase so that the little boat labored
very heavily, and the seas were continually breaking over
her and I at last deemed it advisable to heave to. Our
bedding was completely saturated and everything very wet.
And to make it more uncomfortable, about four in the
afternoon a very heavy rainstorm set in and continued
through the night.
The wind began to moderate about 3 A. m. of July ist,
and about five we hauled in our drogue and proceeded on
our course ; at about eleven the wind canted to the north
and light breezes prevailed with occasional rain squalls,
and about three in the afternoon it was a settled calm.
About five o'clock the wind backed into the northeast,
accompanied by heavy rain, which continued through the
night. Daylight of July 2d found us surrounded by heavy
storm clouds and the rain falling in torrents, and whales
appeared all around us. About nine o'clock I lay down
to sleep and told my wife to keep awake and keep a sharp
lookout. And I will here state just as she explains it.
Her story is this : —
" I kept awake all night until about eleven o'clock, when
my eyes grew so heavy that I put fresh water on them to
try to keep them open ; I then put on salt water, as the
fresh did not appear to do any good, and this made them
awful sticky, but as they continued to draw together I lay
down and was asleep in a moment. Somewhat about one
o'clock I awoke with a start ; something seemed to be pull
ing me, and I jumped up at once and looking out saw a
large steamer heading directly for us. I halloed to my
husband to wake up at once, which he did and grabbed
our lantern, which was burning, and waved it aloft. The
steamer, as was lucky for us both, had a competent person
on lookout, as the minute he waved our lantern we could
see the steamer sheer to one side. We hailed but could

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE III
not understand their language ; we supposed she was a
German, but do not know."
My readers can readily picture to themselves what our
danger was, lying to without any breeze right in the track
of passing vessels and both of us asleep. And it was for
tunate for us that she awoke as she did, as it would only
have been but a few seconds before she would have struck
us, and no one aboard the large steamer would have been
any the wiser. But thank heaven we were permitted .to
proceed without accident, but I made up my mind to do no
more sleeping nights. About four in the morning a light
breeze sprang up from the southward, when we proceeded,
steering east-southeast by the compass. About five o'clock
rain squalls set in, and about ten in the forenoon we sighted
the English barque Ontario of Windsor, Nova Scotia, from
Hamburg for New York. We ran alongside and got a
keg of fresh water as ours had become unfit for use, and
we talked with them and they seemed to be pleased to see
us. After we had put the keg of water they gave us into
our water keg we thanked them and bade them good-bye.
About four in the afternoon a thick fog settled around
which hung on through the early part of the night. After
midnight it cleared and the wind breezed up from the
southward, and about four o'clock in the morning I took
a nap. This was on the third of July. When I awoke
we again made sail and proceeded, and about the middle
of the day a heavy thunderstorm set in, which was so
heavy that we hove to and waited for it to pass over, but it
was early in the morning of the fourth that the clouds
dispersed and the stars peeped forth. This July 4th was
lacking of the noise and rattle of a 4th on shore, and our
minds were carried back to the little city of New Bedford
as a reminder of the fact. The day opened quite clear
and a moderate breeze, and later in the day we were left

112 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
becalmed, but towards night it breezed up again and we
sailed along on our course. July 5th opened with a clear
sky and a moderate breeze from the southeast with noth
ing but water in sight. Early in the afternoon a heavy
fog settled around us and held on until after midnight, and
we had to sail by the wind as near our course as possible.
Thus the day of July 6th passed.
About one in the morning of July 7th the fog had en
tirely disappeared and a moderate breeze was blowing
from the southeast and we barely moved along. About
six in the morning we sighted a sail which gradually drew
nearer, and about ten o'clock she was within hailing dis
tance, when she spoke us. She proved to be the Norwe
gian barque Honor, bound for Cork. The captain gave
us the longitude as 29.30. He, like all others, urged us
to come on board, but we respectfully declined. The
captain also offered to provide us with anything they had
on board, but we were not in want of anything, so amid
cheers from the crew, we drifted apart and were soon out
of sight of each other.
About two o'clock in the afternoon the wind freshened
from the south and the sea made very fast. The sky was
clear, but we had to work against a head sea which grew
worse all the time. We could only make an east course
by the compass, which was all of two points from our
course. Thus we continued on, and about one in the early
morning of the 8th the weather settled very cloudy, but
the wind still held to the southward and the sea still held
its own. During the forenoon the sea began to moderate.
About ten o'clock of the same morning we sighted a
steamer coming astern of us and approaching very fast.
As she drew near she ran close and spoke us. She proved
to be the ocean steamer Denmark, from New York to
London, England. The engines were stopped and we

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE II3
were asked to come on board, which we did not see fit to
do, but I ran towards her and as we drew near a line was
thrown to us which I caught and made fast around our
foremast and we were drawn alongside. Two of the
crew were then ordered down to pass us provisions, which
it seemed were all prepared for us unsolicited. They
also presented us with a keg of water which I lashed to
my mainmast for the time being. The captain and crew
were very good to us and seemed to think they could not ¦
do enough for us. We thanked them all for the favors
shown us, and with well wishes for our safe arrival we
cast off and proceeded, amid cheers from all on board.
The captain also gave us the correct longitude as 27.26,
and the steamer's engines were again put in motion and
thus we parted, and she soon disappeared from view. On
arriving in England Capt. Williams gave me the follow
ing letter : —
S. S. Denmark,
London, December, 1877.
Capt. Crapo,
Dear Sir : As you are now about leaving England,
and some people have been sceptical as to your crossing
the Atlantic in the small boat " New Bedford," you are at
perfect liberty to use my testimony as to passing you at
sea on your voyage, viz : July 7th, 7.30 p. m., latitude
47.12 n. ; 270 33 west.
Robert P. Williams,
Master National Steamship Co.'s S. S. Denmark,
of Liverpool.
About two in the afternoon the wind freshened and we
experienced very heavy squalls. During the afternoon,
about four o'clock, I furled my foresail and took a short
nap. About 8.30 I woke and proceeded, with the weather
very thick ; our course by compass was southeast by east

114 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
half east. Thus we continued on, and the 9th opened
with the wind from the same quarter and a heavy rain
storm set in ; this coupled with a heavy cross sea made it
very uncomfortable for us. My readers can readily imag
ine what a drenching rainstorm at sea, in a small boat,
must be, as a heavy storm on shore can easily be taken as
an illustration. Yet we had to take it, and no matter how
wet we were we had no means of drying our clothes only
in the open air, aided by the sun, which did not shine every
day as my readers can see.
About ten o'clock I furled the mainsail and ran under
our foresail until about midnight. The sea continued to
make and occasionally broke over the boat, so at last I
decided to lay to. I furled the foresail and set the main
sail for a storm trysail and put out my drogue ; thus the
morning of the 10th found us. Thus we lay until day
light when the seas began to moderate, so we again started
on our course, steering east-southeast by the compass.
Later in the day we sighted two barques on the wind
heading to the southward. They came within about two
miles of us, but as they were beating on the wind they
probably did not deem it advisable to bother about us, so
we soon were out of sight of each other.
About two in the afternoon the sky settled darker than
before and the wind continued to blow very heavily.
About nine o'clock in the evening we sighted a vessel's red
light, which is carried on the port side. We ran within
about a quarter of a mile of her, and as she proceeded her
light soon disappeared from view. About eleven o'clock the
wind changed to west-southwest and light rains continued
to follow us, and the morning of the nth found the
weather about the same. At daylight I took a short nap.
When I awoke we again started, with a moderate breeze
and a heavy sky and sea, steering east-southeast by the

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE I 15
compass ; light baffling winds prevailed. I now found time
to put the water given to us by the captain of the Denmark
into our water kegs, so after doing so I threw the keg over
board. After doing so I glanced around and saw a vessel
in the distance, and as she was not a great distance off I
headed for her, expecting of course that we were seen by
those on board. As I neared her I hailed her, when a dog
on board began to bark. I hailed several times, and at
last made myself heard, when all hands came to the side of
the vessel and appeared thunderstruck to see us in such a
small boat. At last the captain found his voice and
hailed, when I asked what the longitude was. He asked
us to come alongside, but I told him we could not as we
were in a hurry, so we sailed on, and as we drew apart he
shouted the longitude, 25, so I thanked him, and the crew
cheered lustily.
Light baffling winds continued until about three in the
morning of the 12th, when I again took a nap. Started
again about eight o'clock, with a light breeze from the
northwest. We sailed along very pleasantly until about
eight in the evening, when the wind canted to the west
ward and it soon settled very cloudy, which made the sky
as black as ink. Then rain began to fall in torrents and
the wind howled. About two in the morning of the 13th
I hove to and put out my drogue, and had a short sleep.
While I was asleep the weather cleared, so about nine in
the forenoon we again started, steering east by south half-
south by the compass. About ten the wind began to in
crease and the seas began to make very fast. We sighted
a barque steering to the eastward, which passed within a
half a mile of us. About one in the morning of the 14th
heavy squalls set in, and about three I hove to for a nap,
and started again about nine in a heavy rainstorm. About
four in the afternoon we sighted two vessels, steering to the

Il6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
southward, the rain still falling in torrents, and about one in
the morning of the 15th I decided to heave to and put out
my drogue, which I did. My wife had begun to feel quite
bad. I suppose the change from canned goods to fresh
meat and vegetables given to us from the Denmark was the
cause. This made it very uncomfortable for both of us,
as we were not provided with a supply of medicines, and a
doctor was out of the question. Sickness is not pleasant
at any time, even when a doctor lives next door to you, and
to be where one cannot be had for love or money was de
cidedly bad.
We both thought it would soon pass off, but it did not
seem to do so, as she complained of feeling worse as the
time passed on. I was dead tired, so I took a short nap,
after which we again proceeded. The wind canted to the
north-northwest, and the weather cleared. About eleven
the wind increased and the sea made very fast, and as it
grew worse all the time I deemed it advisable to heave to,
as our little boat labored very heavy. The seas were ter
rible and I had grave fears for our safety, as the seas were
continually breaking over her. The morning of the 16th
found us in the same predicament, and no signs of the
gale abating. About seven o'clock in the morning, the
Bremen barque Astronom spoke us and asked if we
wanted any assistance, or if we wanted to come on board,
as we appeared to be in a sad condition ; but we had
stood it thus far, and I thought we could stand it a little
longer. Yet I could not but help thinking of my wife, who
grew decidedly worse each day. A terrible weakness had
taken hold of her, and she often said she did not care
whether she ever reached England or not. Yet in the
face of all this we declined to accept any assistance, and
thanked them very courteously for their proffered help ;
so we parted and were soon out of sight of each other, as

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 117
it did not take her long in the strong wind, as she was
scudding before it, while we had to lay to.
Shortly after she left us our rudder head was twisted
off, which was a bad go for us, but luckily I had a spare
one and could replace it as soon as the weather would
permit, but at the present time the boat was rolling and
pitching about like an eggshell. About five o'clock in the
afternoon a Prussian brig passed close to us, heading to
the eastward, and was soon lost to view. Thus we
rocked and rolled through the day and night, and about
six o'clock in the morning of the 17th we sighted a barque
under short sail heading to the eastward. There was no
apparent change in the weather until about five o'clock in
the morning of the 18th, -when the wind canted to north-
northwest and moderated. As the signs held good about
six o'clock the same morning I got out my spare rudder
and rigged it and made sail and started again, steering east
by north by the compass. The seas were still running very
high and the waves dashed across the boat at every jump.
The sky cleared, which made it a little more inviting for
us ; yet it was not much pleasure at best. Mrs. Crapo was
still very much under the weather, and was unable to
render any assistance whatever.
About four o'clock in the afternoon the wind changed
to west-southwest, and fog and rain again set in. I don't
remember in all of my going to sea and crossing the At
lantic Ocean so many times, of seeing a period of time that
we had been on our passage with so many gales and so
much fog and rain ; and I have thought a great many
times since that if I had taken a more northerly course I
probably would have had a better passage. The Atlantic
Ocean is a very rough place during the winter months, but
is generally quite good during the summer. Yet we were
having nearly as rough a passage as if it were winter in
stead of in the summer.

Il8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
Words cannot express, even to sailors themselves, what
we experienced on that passage. Gales that were terrible
to encounter, especially in a little boat, when many large
vessels have been wrecked in gales of less magnitude.
Yet there we were, day and night, and I slept on an
average of four hours out of each twenty-four during the
passage, and not a ghost of a chance to move about enough
to keep one's blood in circulation. At all times, especially
in heavy weather, my thoughts would turn to my wife, who
was bearing up bravely under the ordeal, especially as sick
as she was, and as she grew worse instead of better plagued
me more, I think, than it did her. Of course all I could
do under the circumstances was to cheer her up all I
possibly could.
If she had had a good, dry, comfortable bed to lie on it
would have been far better, but our readers can see how
limited our accommodations were. It was bad enough for
her to be obliged to put up with it when she was feeling
well and happy, but now the thought was as wormwood,
and I must make all possible haste to reach land where
medical aid could be had for her, as she was growing very
despondent and made the remark a great many times that
she did not believe she would live to see or reach land
again, and also that she did not care whether she did or
not. But the Lord was merciful to us all through, and we
put our trust in Him and sailed on.
About two o'clock in the morning of the 19th I again
hove the boat to as the weather was so bad I deemed it
unsafe to run, as I did not wish to venture any chances. I
watched very closely for signs of its moderating and at
last was rewarded by signs of a change of wind, when we
again started, although it was not pleasant sailing. But
we were all the time drawing nearer to our destination,
which meant a great deal to us.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE II9
Very soon a thick fog set in and rain began to fall very
heavily, which continued until about half past six o'clock
in the evening, when the fog lifted a little. As the fog
lifted we sighted a barque which proved, as we drew up
to her, to be an English barque from Baltimore to Ham
burg. The captain gave us the latitude as 48.20, lon.
11.50. Cheers from the crew rent the air, to which we
heartily responded ; we continued on our way, and again
the weather began to moderate. About three o'clock in
the morning of the 20th it again settled foggy, and re
mained so until about 10 o'clock, when it lifted and the
sun soon broke through, with the wind from the westward
and blowing quite heavily.
Several vessels were in sight and we ran close to one,
a brig named Susan, and the captain gave us the lat. 49.32,
lon. 7.30, also the distance as fifty-five miles from Scilly.
He wanted us to run alongside, but the wind blew so hard
and the seas ran so high I did not dare to attempt it, but
continued on towards our destination, first thanking the
captain for the desired information. This was very en
couraging to us. We were nearing our long-looked-for
destination, and with good luck we would soon enter a
safe anchorage, and my wife could then have medical
attention. When daylight of the 21st appeared it was very foggy,
which held on until about ten o'clock, when it lifted. As
it lifted we sighted a steamer. We ran towards her, and
as we drew near I asked the captain how Scilly Island
bore and he answered by pointing for me, and as I looked
I could see the land. Oh ! what a welcome sight. Words
cannot adequately express the delight we felt upon seeing
it before our eyes and we lost no time in heading for it,
but owing to a strong current and wind we were about
five miles to the leeward when we got abreast of them, so

120 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
I kept off for Land's End, and as we passed the lighthouse
about four o'clock in the afternoon the keeper dipped his
colors to us and rang his bell. We continued on, saluting
him in return as we passed. We arrived in Newland,
Penzance, at eleven o'clock in the night and ran alongside
of a fishing boat which I hailed, but got no reply, as there
was no one on board, so I made my boat fast and told Mrs.
Crapo we would have some good hot coffee.
So, although it was late and I was tired, having steered
the boat without any rest for the past seventy-two hours,
I felt so encouraged to think our perilous voyage was over
I lit our oil stove and put on our little giant coffeepot/
We both sat down watching it, and both fell fast asleep as
we sat there and did not wake up until daylight had broke.
My left hand was useless from steering so long and steadily,
and I was as bad off as if I did not have any at all, but of
course I expected it would regain itself in a short time.
Our long, perilous voyage was over, and here we were,
on a Sunday morning, made fast to a fishing boat belong
ing to some inhabitant of the British Isles. We then filled
our lamp stove again, as it had burned itself out while we
were sitting around it asleep, and made ourselves a good
cup of coffee, which seemed to taste far better to us than
it had at any time during our voyage. Mrs. Crapo's con
dition was such as to make anything, no matter how pal
atable, have a queer flat taste, and we were both very
anxious to get ashore where medical aid could be had to
assist her in regaining her former health. As she clothed
herself entirely in flannel during the voyage we did not
expect any serious results would follow, yet when she got
wet during heavy weather or rainstorms, a change had to
be made as soon as convenient, and many times the change
would be very damp, especially when heavy weather held
on for any length of time.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 121
As we had no means of drying any clothes, excepting
in the sun, and as my readers already know there were a
great many times when the sun did not shine for several
days, not only our clothes would be wet, but our bed
ding besides, and everyone knows that a damp bed is not a
pleasant place to seek for a quiet undisturbed rest. Many
times the bed was so wet that when placed in the sun it
would steam for a long time, and as I had nothing of any
accoimt to do while steering I would watch the fine vapor
arise until it was again perfectly dry. After drinking our
coffee I managed to climb up my foremast and rove my
signal halliards to hoist my colors with.
I found it a very difficult task as my hand was, as I have
stated, entirely useless, and might as well have been cut off
for all the good it was at present. My colors had not been
set long before we saw a boat approaching, which soon
came alongside. The man who was its only occupant
asked us a great many questions and seemed to be much
pleased to be the one to welcome us upon our safe arrival.
He also asked if we wished to go on shore, and as that was
our earnest desire he volunteered to land us at once. As
we neared the shore we saw a lady coming down towards
the place where we would land. This gave Mrs. Crapo
fresh courage, to see one of her sex ready to welcome her,
and as we stepped on shore she invited us to go to her
house, which was close by, and have some hot tea.
We accepted this kind invitation and went to her house,
when a steaming cup of hot tea and a tempting breakfast
was placed before us. As we had been drinking coffee
during our voyage tea was quite acceptable, and we again
enjoyed a good hearty meal sitting at a well-regulated table
whose comforts were far different from what we had to
put up with for the past forty-nine days, and I was much
pleased to see Mrs. Crapo — by the way, she had eaten very

122 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
sparingly since the first attack of sickness — eating quite a
breakfast and seemingly enjoying it very much.
It was surprising to see how the news of our arrival
spread. The crowds gathered about the house waiting for
a chance to see us. Hundreds entered and shook hands
with us and appeared perfectly satisfied if they could only
do so, or if they could only touch us in any way they were
satisfied. Mrs. Crapo was the lion of the hour. A woman
to cross the tempestuous Atlantic Ocean in a small boat like
ours was what turned the people's heads, and all seemed
to be pleased to receive a word from her. Even to our
dishes and utensils used during our memorable voyage were
eagerly sought for as mementoes, and as some were silver-
plated the recipients had the dates of our sailing and arriv
ing neatly engraved upon them. During the day religious
services were held in the little church especially for us,
which were attended by a large number of people.
Every kindness was shown us by the Cornish people, and
we were graciously received by all. We remained at the
house of the lady during our stay, and it was stated to us
that more people visited us and turned out to see us than
did on the arrival of the Prince and Princess of Wales a
short time before. Mrs. Crapo had now nearly regained
her former health, thanks to the skill of a physician recom
mended to us by our landlady, whose medicines worked a
great change from the start. Every day we were there
hundreds came to see us ; many came from a long distance
on purpose to do so.
On the 27th of the same month we bade them good-bye,
and with thanks to our hostess for her kind attention during
our stay under her roof, we left for Penzance. We again
entered our frail craft and started. The distance was only
three miles, and with a fair breeze it did not take us long
to go. On our arrival hundreds had gathered to see us,

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 1 23
attracted by our flags while sailing along, and as the crowd
increased in numbers I did as I was asked by many of
them, which was to sail around a little while so the crowd
could view the boat and watch her sailing qualities. I
sailed around for them nearly an hour, and I thought the
crowd would go wild when we ran alongside of the wharf.
After making fast I proceeded to take the masts out of
her. After doing so I then took out my five water kegs,
— we had only used from one which held twenty gallons,
as this one was replenished by passing vessels at different
times. I let what remained run overboard and then
knocked out the bungs from the others to do the same.
Owing to the kegs being bunged up tight caused the water
to be bad and unfit for use, providing we had exhausted our
other supply, and as I turned them over to let it run out it
was as thick as jelly and was not fit for anything. Thus
eighty gallons of the one hundred put in the boat at New
Bedford before starting was thrown overboard at Penzance.
If I had left the bungs loose when stowing them in the
boat would probably saved it all, but be that as it may we
were not without during the voyage and a fresh supply was
tendered by every vessel we spoke.
After emptying the kegs I put slings on the boat and
hoisted her out with a crane on the wharf. As she hung
in mid-air a gentleman approached and asked me if I was
willing he took a photograph of her as she hung, to which
I willingly consented, and he made preparations to do so.
A large multitude of people were present at the time. After
he had taken the photographs I had her put on board of
the cars and we started for London, where we arrived the
next morning.
We were met at the depot by my wife's father, who had
been on the lookout for us for several days, so we accom
panied him to his home. During the forenoon he and I

THE "NEW BEDFORD" BEING HOISTED OUT OF WATER AT PENZANCE, ENGLAND

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE I 25
paid a visit to the American Consul when I delivered up
my papers, or rather the letter given to me by the Custom
House officials at New Bedford, as was explained in the
first part of the voyage. And below is a copy of his given
to me : — United States Consulate General, London.
Exhibited at this Office, July 28th, 1877.
J. VINING,
Vice Consul General and Shipping
Commissioner at London.
No wonder he looked at me when he read the letter, as
such a marine document had never passed through his
hands before, and to enter such records of so small a craft
was novel in itself. He asked a great many questions
about our trip across and said he was more than pleased to
welcome us. We remained and talked for quite a length
of time, and then started back to my wife's father's home.
On our arrival we found that there had been three or four
agents of museums and shows to try to make arrangements
with us to exhibit ourselves and boat. One was an agent
for an aquarium, and one from the Alexander Palace.
The others did not say what they represented.
Early in the afternoon we went to the Alexander Palace,
and it did not take long to complete arrangements.
This Alexander Palace, as it is called, is a grand affair.
The large brick building covers a great many acres, to all
appearances, and the grounds cover a great many more,
The show consists of circus, minstrel, museum, opera,
drama, aquarium, horse racing, cricket, base ball, and a
hundred and one other things too numerous to mention.
We were engaged at a large salary, and the crowds that
flocked around us was surprising. There was no end to
the questions asked, which must at all times be answered

126 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
civilly. Many times the same question would be asked
dozens of times during the day and evening, which, though
very aggravating, must be put up with, as we were hired
to answer questions and must treat every one with due
respect. Several of the Royal Family attended while we were
there. The out-door exhibitions in the evening were mag
nificent, to say the least, and crowds were going and com
ing all the time. The price of admission only entitled the
holder of the ticket to an entrance to the building, then
each performance had a cash price of its own. To take in
the whole affair would take several days and nights, and
would cost quite a little sum of money besides. There is
nothing in the United States that can begin to compare with
it. We remained there about six weeks and were visited
by thousands of people, each one elbowing their way to
get as near to us as possible, and the rush held on from
early morn until late at night. As fast as one would draw
out others took their places.
After completing our contract, we contracted to go to
Liverpool to a place called Rockferry Garden, on the
Berkenhead side. We had no trouble in securing large
salaries, as the head ones knew that the crowds attracted to
see us would be large, and so they were. Sea captains,
young and old, visited us, and many wondered how I came
to take such a dangerous voyage, knowing the ocean as I
did ; one in particular, an old gray-haired veteran, came
several times to see and talk with us about the passage.
Sea-faring men in particular forced their way in where
they could shake hands with us, and Mrs. Crapo was sur
rounded most of the time by the gentler sex, who seemed
to admire her courage in risking her life in such a frail
craft. The same questions were asked over and over again.
Everybody seemed to want to ask something; our auto-

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 1 27
graphs were asked for by hundreds of people, and we did
our best to please everybody. We remained there about
five weeks, when we started for Oldham to fill an engage
ment there. We exhibited in what is called the Alexander
skating rink. We remained two weeks, when we went to
Brighton, a well-known watering place. We exhibited at
the King's Road skating rink, where we were again sur
rounded by large crowds of people. We remained there
for a long time.
We were visited a great many times by a gentleman
named Ashbury, or Ashbrey, who, at the time, was await
ing the arrival of President Grant on his tour around the
world. He told us that he would do his best to have the
President call on us during his stay. On hisi arrival at the
gentleman's home we sent a written invitation to him, but
as his time was about all taken up he could not do so, but
after his departure we received a letter from Mr. Ashbury' s
secretary, stating that the President sent us his regrets in
not being able to call on us, as he would have been pleased
to do so. The letter was burned in the car at the fire at
Mobley, Mo.
After completing our engagement we went to a place
called Worthing, about twelve miles from Brighton, where
we exhibited in another rink. We remained about two
weeks, and during the time were visited by thousands who
came expressly to see us. From there we returned to
Brighton again and exhibited in what is called the Brighton
west pier, which is a promenade built out over the water.
We remained there about two weeks when we again re
turned to London, where we secured passage on the ocean
steamship Canada. Our boat was brought over free of
charge, and a pleasant time we had. We left London for
New York Jan. 4th, 1878, and was sixteen days on the
passage, which was far pleasanter than our passage over.

128 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
Everything was done that we could wish for to make it
pleasant for us.
Mrs. Crapo especially enjoyed the return passage very
much. On our arrival in New York we were much sought
for by agents of museums and other shows. My wife
strongly objected to exhibiting in a museum, no matter
what the salary was that was offered. We therefore hired
a place on Broadway and exhibited the boat about two
weeks. At that time there was a large company at Gil-
more' s Garden, now called Madison Square Garden. We
closed the place on Broadway and went there. While
there we engaged to join a circus that at that time was in
winter quarters, but was soon to open at the Garden.
When they opened we were assigned a place in the me
nagerie where the crowds flocked around us, asking ali
sorts of questions ; the American people take the cake in
asking questions, and they kept us quite busy. We sold
hundreds of photographs of ourselves and boat. We re
mained there about six weeks when we started on the
road. When exhibiting our boat we had her two masts
in and all sails set and she could be seen from one end of
the tent to the other, so everybody flocked around us to get
a close view of her.
Right here I wish to say that the news of our sail across
the Atlantic and our safe arrival was daily commented on,
and many papers and magazines inserted long pieces about
it. The London Standard of July 23d, just after our
arrival, printed a long and accurate account which was
copied by many others. The New York Police News
copied it, and through its medium it was well circulated.
The book called the Young Scientist gave a good and
lengthy description of our voyage, coupled with pictures
of situations. We have in our possession many papers
which spoke very nicely about it, also many that are

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 1 29
printed in other languages which we do not understand,
yet we keep them as mementoes of our eventful voyage.
I hear call my reader's attention to one from a correspon
dent dated Penzance, Sunday (which was the day we
went on shore on our arrival in England) , which will give
a fair idea of the others. It read thus : —
"I was startled this morning, just at the commencement
of church, to hear that the boat which had left America
for England, with only a man and woman on board, had
arrived at Penzance. On glancing along the promenade
I saw right away under Newlyn, a little boat with two
masts lying at anchor, whilst surrounding her were a clus
ter of Newlyn boats filled with spectators who had come
to see the wonderful little craft. The New Bedford is a
boat about twenty feet long,- and of the registered tonnage
of one and sixty-two one hundredths, a little over one and
one-half tons.
" She carries two masts, one anchor and a drogue. She
is built of cedar and is rigged as what is known as ' leg of
mutton rigged schooner.' The name of the owner is Cap
tain Thomas Crapo, aged thirty-five, who with his wife has
so bravely crossed the Atlantic in so tiny a craft. The
voyage was commenced on May 28th, when the little vessel
left New Bedford, but by stress of weather she had to put
into Chatham, Massachusetts, where she stayed until the
second of June, when the sails were again hoisted, and the
little pigmy left on her perilous voyage with a fair wind."
It then goes on to illustrate what we passed through,
which my readers are already familiar with, and ends up
thus : —
"Among the many extraordinary things connected with
the voyage is that it had to be run by dead reckoning, as
the New Bedford was not large enough to carry a chronom
eter. Captain and Mrs. Crapo seemed wonderfully well

I30 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
after the hardships they had undergone, though the captain
has a bad hand, and when he came ashore it was firmly
clenched through being forced to steer for seventy hours
without rest.
" The house they stopped at was invaded by a multitude
of people eager to shake hands with so brave a couple.
The boat was also an object of interest and was admired
by hundreds of people.
" No one knows the loneliness of the ocean but those who
have experienced it, and apart from the question of peril,
which probably the captain would not dwell upon too
strongly, the pair must have known that they were under
taking a task as trying to the brain from its monotony as to
the physical powers from its constant strain upon them.
" Luckily the only accident was a broken rudder and the
loss of a trifling item of gearing, and the lady's grea'test
complaint is that she could not sleep for the whales, and
the captain's was that he could not stretch his limbs. His
hand is still numb from his hard labor at the tiller, but will
undoubtedly be all right again in a short time."
At last we were booked for the season to travel with
Howe's great London circus, and left New York for Nor-
walk, Conn., Sunday, May 28th, where we were to exhibit
the following day. We exhibited in most of the large
cities throughout New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indi
ana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Tennessee, Wiscon
sin, and West Virginia. The most exciting experience
while with them was while we were asleep in tlie train,
which was sidetracked at Moberly, Missouri, when all of a
sudden some one cried fire, and on looking out of the win
dow we saw that the baggage car which contained the bag
gage of the show, including many of our clothes and
presents given to us in England, was a mass of flames.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 131
Everything was burned to ashes before our eyes, as there
was no chance whatever to put the fire out. Nothing was
left but die iron work, which was the only part that would
not burn. We were very sorry to lose our things, espe
cially our presents, but it could not be helped so we had to
make the best of it. The last place we exhibited with them'
was in Brooklyn. As we had- been roaming around with
them about six months we decided to leave and return to
New Bedford with our boat, which we did, and as we had
done as we intended to in crossing to England, we were not
ashamed to return to our starting place, as we had the laugh
all on our side this time.
I remained in Xew Bedford through the winter, and in
the spring I bought a schooner named the James Parker,
Sr., of a hundred and five tons burthen, and started in the
coasting trade as captain and owner. Mrs. Crapo went
with me and had a good chance to see considerable of the
country along the coast ; we carried a great many different
cargoes during the season, some up the Connecticut and
Hudson Rivers. Early in November I laid her alongside
the 'wharf at New London, Conn., for the winter. Mrs.
Crapo and myself kept house on board and took as much
comfort as though installed in a mansion. We could go
ashore when we chose and have just as good times.
Early in the following spring I had a good offer for the
vessel, so I accepted it and returned to New Bedford,
where I remained but a few days when I bought another
one named the Adelia Felicia, of a 120 tons register. My
first cargo was for Middletown, Conn., and as soon as I
arrived I sent for Mrs. Crapo to join me, which she did.
We sailed her throughout the summer until nearly Christ
mas, when I hauled alongside the wharf at New Bedford
for the winter, and started again in the spring, running to
and from different ports from Maine to Virginia, wherever

132 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
we could get a paying cargo, and late in the fall we again
put in at New Bedford for winter quarters.
The following spring we started again and took a cargo
wherever or whenever we could get it. We continued
through the warm months and as soon as cold weather set
in we hauled up this time at Wareham, on Cape Cod,
Massachusetts. When warm weather opened we again
began plying our trade and continued to do so until Sept.
1883, when I sold the vessel. I sold her while lying at
anchor at Port Chester, New York, and was to deliver her
at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, as soon as we discharged
our cargo. After delivering her, Mrs. Crapo and myself
returned to New Bedford and settled down to housekeep
ing, as my wife declared she was not going to sea any
more. In March of the following year I bought the schooner
Gustie Wilson, of a hundred and forty-one tons register,
and ran her through the season. As cold weather set in
I chartered to go to the West Indies. I went from the
West Indies to Maracaibo to load for New York. On
arriving at Maracaibo I had to take on a pilot and go up
the lagoon about one hundred and fifty miles. The scen
ery was quite pleasing, and many houses could be seen
built on spiles out into the water. And alligators, there
was no end to them ; the lagoons were full of them. The
pilot and I took the schooner's boat and went up a small
bay, or lagoon, as they are called, and had great sport
shooting at them. I fired all the cartridges I had and
would have fired many more if I had had them.
Their skins were so tough that a bullet from a revolver
didn't seem to have much effect on them. Nevertheless
we enjoyed it as much as though every shot we fired had
killed one. They would drag themselves up on the bank
and lay for hours with their eyes shut and you would

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 1 33
think they were dead, but touch them in any way they
would soon show you to the contrary. As we had no
more cartridges to fire at them we went on board and
continued on our way up the lagoon. Upon reaching our
destination we anchored in about three fathoms of water,
and we began to make preparations for receiving our
cargo. We were to load cedar logs, which were rafted
out to us by men on shore.
While loading, I went on deck one day after finishing
my dinner, and on looking around I saw what appeared to
be the smoke from a steamer. I spoke of it to the pilot
who had not yet finished his dinner. I said, " Here is a
steamer coming our way." In a few minutes he came on
deck, and on looking in the direction I pointed he smiled
and says, "That is no steamer," whereupon I inquired
what it was if it wasn't a steamer. "Well," says he,
"that is a flock of mosquitoes." I looked at him, think
ing he was joking me, but I saw he was in earnest. I had
heard of clouds of mosquitoes, but had never seen one be
fore. They were actually so thick that they would darken
the sun like a cloud passing before it.
I watched them for a considerable length of time, hop
ing they would draw nearer, but they seemed to remain
about the same distance away as at first. What a sad pre
dicament a fellow would be in surrounded by a cloud of
hungry mosquitoes, especially in a swamp where he could
not get any shelter from them. He would stand a poor
show of getting out alive, as they would suck every parti
cle of blood he had in him in a very short time. I found
before I left there that it was no unusual sight to see large
clouds of them, as they made their appearance several
times during our stay.
We loaded all the logs they had and then went down to
Maracaibo to take on enough to complete our cargo. As

SCHOONER GUSTIE WILSON LEAVING NEW YORK FOR JACKSONVILLE

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 1 35
soon as we finished loading we sailed for New York, and
experienced a very rough passage, but we arrived without
serious accident and discharged our cargo and chartered
to load coal at Elizabethport, New Jersey, for Province-
town, on Cape Cod. From Provincetown I ran in at New
Bedford and hauled up for several days, as there was so
much ice in the bay it was not much pleasure to try to
run, as freights were so low and it took so long to go from
one place to the other there was not much left after paying
expenses, so I thought I would wait a few days to see if
some of the ice wouldn't drift out to sea.
While at the wharf I had a good offer for her," and I
decided to let her remain my property a while longer at
least. I chartered to take a cargo from Haverstraw to
Mosquito Inlet, Florida ; we loaded brick, cement and
other material for masons' use. We had 80,000 brick on
board and had to land them through the surf, which was a
dangerous task. All had to be carried in our yawl boat,
and as we neared the shore we had to jump overboard
and hold on to the boat to keep her from tipping over
and spilling the brick ; she was nearly half full of water
every time we carried a load ashore, where the surf would
dash over her. It was tedious work and took us about two
weeks. We were wet through from daylight to dark,
which was not very pleasant, yet as the water was warm
we did not suffer much from exposure. It was a pleasing
sound when it was announced that we had the last of them.
After unloading we sailed for Jacksonville, Florida, to
load hard pine for New London, Connecticut. From there
I went to New Bedford, where I remained about three
weeks. During my stay a schooner arrived loaded with
corn for parties in New Bedford. While entering the
harbor she struck on a rock, and by the time she reached
the wharf she sank. I was chartered to take the cargo

136 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
out of her and load it into my vessel, which took us about
a week, working a large gang day and night.
We finished at last and started for New York, where we
arrived safe and sound and began unloading, which was a
very hard job, as the corn was a dirty, soggy mess, and we
were glad when it was all out. From there we sailed to
Elizabethport and loaded coal for Wareham. After dis
charging we returned to New York and chartered to load
for Jacksonville, Florida. Our cargo consisted of material
for life-saving stations. At this time I agreed to take
two more cargoes of the same kind down the Florida coast.
We had more or less rough weather, but nothing serious
happened. The brick, paint, oils and cement we had to carry on
shore in our yawl boat, and about every time we went
ashore in her she would capsize in the surf, and we had to
keep our eyes open and get it on shore before it got spoiled
in the surf. The lumber and shingles we rafted ashore;
the surf was so heavy that every time we rafted a load
ashore the raft would go to pieces and scatter it all along
the beach, and it was fortunate that there was a large gang
on shore to catch it or a great deal would probably have
been lost. We had this to go through in five different
places where a certain quantity was to be left. After
finishing the last, which was put ashore up the Injun River,
we went to Jacksonville, where we were to load hard pine
for New York.
While unloading I was chartered to take a load of hard
pine from Jacksonville to St. Thomas in the West Indies,
and was allowed the privilege of taking a cargo to Jackson
ville, which would be far better for me than to go empty.
I found a cargo at last and proceeded to put it on board.
It consisted of 147 1-2 tons of railroad iron; not a very
desirable cargo, but it was take that or nothing, and as I

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 1 37
was in a hurry I took it. The worst of all was that we had
to keep about forty ton on deck. All sailors object to a
deck load, and are none to blame for it, as it is always in
the way, especially in heavy weather or a gale of wind.
I had at the time a crew of six men, so with plenty of help
we were read}- for a start in a very short time after we
began loading.
We left New York August 18th, and had very good
weather, and by the 25th we were off Cape Hatteras in
company with a fleet of about twenty other vessels, and
the wind was beginning to blow very strong from the
southwest, and before night set in the sky was very heavy
and the wind was howling through the rigging. The
wind increased as the night went by, and before morning
it was blowing a hurricane ; the swell had changed to a
heavy sea and the vessel's rails were under water most of
the time. Our cargo was a dead weight in her. If it had
been lumber or some buoyant material she would have
behaved far better. These are the times when good sea
manship is required to weather a gale, yet with a cargo of
iron we stood a very poor show.
But we would do all that could be done, and if there was
any chance of saving the vessel and cargo we would do so.
And rain, how it did pour down ; we did not mind it very
much, as we were all wet completely through already by the
seas breaking over the vessel. For several hours we ran
with her prow pointing right into the gale. We did not
dare to show much canvas for the gale was growing more
and more furious all the time, and she had all she could
do to live in such an angry sea.
At three o'clock Wednesday morning, Aug. 26th, a re
markable incident occurred. The wind suddenly ceased
and for about two minutes there was a dead calm. The
waves raised by the gale were running fifty or sixty feet

138 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
high, and our little schooner was one moment on the crest
of a tremendous billow and the next she would sink way
down in the trough with her masts barely reaching above
the crest of the high seas.
The lull in the storm was very brief and I was about to
put more sail on her when the wind came from the north
east, which my readers will see was directly opposite from
what it had been blowing and blew harder than ever. The
wind was blowing at least seventy miles an hour. With
the wind blowing in one direction and the seas running in
another made the water fearfully rough, and it required
good seamanship to keep her heading right. Had we
been caught in such a way as to bring her side to the
storm, with the wind against her on one side and the
heavy seas on the other would have foundered her in a
moment's time, but we were very fortunate so far in keep
ing her head into it.
About half past five we shipped a heavy sea which car
ried away our jib-boom and started a leak in our knight-
heads, and it now began to look dark for us. She would
in all probability make water very fast as she was straining
so heavily. And to make matters worse our fore-topmast
was carried away, which made her labor very hard. I soon
discovered that she was taking in water faster than I had
anticipated she would, and I made up my mind that unless
the gale abated very speedily there yvas no hope for us, and
by seven o'clock I told the crew to make ready to abandon
her to her fate.
All we had to depend on now was our small boat, a
yawl used for taking a line to shore or to go ashore in, or,
in fact, she came in handy a great many times, especially
at this time. Now the question of the moment was, could
we launch her safely in such a furious sea? and the only
answer to it was try and see, which we did, and joy of joys,

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 1 39
we landed her right side up with care into that seething
sea, and as she struck the water I. jumped into her to hold
her alongside, at the same time calling to my crew to get
in as quick as possible as the boat was in imminent danger
of being crushed against the side of the vessel, but, luckily,
no such misfortune befell us.
Our cook, a colored man from Boston, tried to catch
some lumber thrown overboard by the crew in case the
boat tipped over, and it swept out of his reach as he either
fell or jumped into the seething sea without catching hold
of anything. All of us in the boat saw his head once as
he came to the top of the water, but he was dead. The
furious sea that had been so destructive to the schooner by
tumbling her about caught the yawl boat as though it was
a chip and tossed it high in the air and then let it drop into
the hollow of the waves, and it looked as though it would
be smashed to pieces any moment.
We had not left the schooner five minutes before she
careened. One rail went down under water and the next
minute she disappeared altogether, going down bow first.
Such was her fate, and what ours would be the Lord only
knew. I don't know whether anyone but ourselves saw
her go down, but it was a sorry sight, especially for us,
and left as we were, yet there were other vessels not a
great distance off, battling with the wind and waves in
order to remain afloat. We had not been in the boat a
half hour when she was swamped by cross seas and she
turned over as quick as a flash, but luckily we were on
our guard and scrambled for the bottom of her, which was
now the top.
I got a good hold and kept it, but the other four were
not so fortunate as a large sea took them away, but the
next one brought them back and they succeeded in getting
back to and on top of the boat. Sometimes we were

il

&* '«"".

*^t

WRECK OF THE SCHOONER GUSTIE WILSON

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE I4I
thrown forty or fifty feet away from the boat, but managed
to get back again. After a while she righted and we again
got inside, but very soon she was again sent whirling over
and over and we were all struggling to get back. I should
judge it was about eight o'clock when Daniel dime, a sea
man from Middletown, Connecticut, was swept off, and
being very much exhausted he did not have the strength to
get back, so he was lost. This left us only four out of our
crew of six, and unless we were rescued very soon there
would be none left to tell the story.
At last we saw a large two-masted schooner coming
towards us and our courage arose at once, but those on
board did not appear to see us as she swept on and was
soon lost to view. The wind still howled and we began
to look our fate squarely in the face ; such times as these a
person thinks, if he ever does, and rapidly too. Every few
minutes some of us would be washed off, and none of us
could tell who would be the next victim claimed by mother
ocean. I knew there must be other vessels close by, but the
sea was so rough we could not be seen a half of a mile.
I honestly believe I was swept off the boat at least a
hundred times, but was always fortunate in getting back
again. The seas", I should judge, were running all of
seventy feet high, and it would have made a landsman
dizzy to have looked down into the trough. That was a
boiling sea, and with all my going to sea I never saw its
equal and hope I never shall again. After the large
schooner passed us we did not see another sail until noon,
when one appeared with hardly enough canvas spread to
make an awning. We were seen from her and she began
to drift towards us, but missed us as another schooner ran
between and by us.
The schooner was the Emily Northain, under command
of Captain H. H. Stetson, as brave a captain as sails the

SCHOONER EMILY F. NORTHAM RESCUING THE SURVIVORS OF THE GUSTIE WILSON

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE I43
seas anywhere. When he found he was going to miss us
he ran on out of sight, and very soon we saw him work
ing back along towards us. My readers must understand
that it took a smart man to keep his vessel afloat in that
gale, to say nothing of working around to save the sur
vivors from other vessels. My companions declared the
schooner would not come back, but I was quite sure she
would. Ned Walsh, one of the seamen, had dropped off
and was floating with a piece of timber under each arm.
The mate, R. S. Pettingill, was hanging to the forward
part of the boat, and every sea that struck him knocked his
breast against the boat.
I could see he was terribly hurt. The poor fellow, how
I pitied him, and yet I could do nothing for him. I could
see he was dying, and it was a terrible sight. His breast
must have been crushed to a jelly, but he held on pluckily
until just before the Emily Northam picked us up, when
he dropped off. His body floated around and did not sink,
so it was certain he was not drowned.
Kind friends, permit me to say there is not, I don't
believe, one man in five hundred that could handle a vessel
as Captain Stetson did that day, and as the story continues
I will give my readers what Captain Stetson said about the
rescue. Charles Wickland, a Swede, the only seaman that was
able to remain on the boat with me, was so overjoyed at
the rescue that his mind was affected almost as soon as he
got on board of the Northam, and had to be put into an
asylum as soon as we arrived in port. My schooner was
valued at four thousand dollars and was insured for twenty-
five hundred dollars ; the cargo was also valued at four
thousand dollars.
Captain Stetson's home is in Revere, Mass., near Bos
ton, and he is well known in this port, having sailed here

144 LIFE AND .ADVENTURES OF
for many years ; he is a well-built man, with a clear blue
eye and round, full face which shows nerve and firmness
in every line. All of the shipping men who best under
stand and appreciate the bravery and skillful seamanship
required in picking us up speak in high terms of him.
Captain Stetson says, in his modest way: " The storm
as described by Captain Crapo was a fearful one, and we
were fortunate as we did not lose a particle of canvas or
part a rope. My wife and two children were on board
at the time, a lass of thirteen and a lad of ten. After
eating supper Tuesday night I went on deck and did not
go below again until midday, Wednesday. The cook was
bringing something on deck for the crew to eat, when the
mate called out, ' There's a boat, Captain, with five people
on it under our lee.' ' Take that back, cook ; we have got
to save those men before we eat,' I said. There was no
way of getting to them except to drift, and that was
attempted, and as we started the schooner scudded by us,
between us and the boat, consequently the boat drifted
by us. As I saw we had drifted by them I had all the sail
put on I dared to and ran away from them, leaving them
clinging to the boat.
" I ran out of sight, and I was afraid they would give
up in despair. So as soon as I could I wore around and
ran back. When I caught sight of them I began drifting.
I intended to get them if it took all night, for I could not
go and leave them to perish. It took me three hours, but
at last I got headed so that I drifted right up to the man
on the boards. As I came up the schooner laid over, her
rail under water, and we picked him up, and as she righted
he rolled in on deck, saved, thank God. Three minutes
after I drifted down on the boat, and as it came alongside
I reached my hand to Captain Crapo and pulled him on
board.

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE I45
" My wife gave the sailors some hot rum and they soon
began to feel better. Captain Crapo refused to drink any.
Wickland, the Swede, was so overjoyed, at being rescued
that his mind was affected almost as soon as he got on
board my schooner, poor fellow ; yet situated as they were
it is no wonder, as it takes nerves of steel to go through
what they did alone on the mighty deep, clinging to a frail
boat which was tumbled about like a chip by the mighty
waves. Words cannot describe it, and it is a mystery how
Captain Crapo ever got her in the water without her
smashing to pieces.
"Captain Crapo says in reply: 'When I saw that we
would soon have to take to the boat, which was upside
down on the forehatchway where she was lashed, I cut
the lashings from her and rolled her over, and I began
nailing strips of boards on the gunwale and put the oars
in and lashed them amidships. I then nailed an awning
around her, which with the oars formed a sort of roof.
I then ordered a keg of water put in and meat and pro
visions, as we did not know when we would be picked up,
if at all. • I then cut adrift two planks which were used
to stay the deck load and lashed a line about eighty fathom
long to them and threw them overboard, to act as a drogue
for the boat. Several times while getting her ready heavy
seas would board us and fill the boat nearly full of water.
When we got all ready we had to work very careful in
order to launch her safely, and we were very fortunate in
doing so.' "
Our escape from a watery grave was indeed a miracle,
and we are indebted to Captain Stetson for his timely
assistance, as we could not have held on much longer, as
we were very much exhausted. We were very thankful
to be permitted to once more walk the deck of a good
staunch vessel. Captain Stetson's destination was Savan-

I46 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
nah, Georgia, and as we had no choice of a landing place
we were contented to proceed there with him. Every
thing that could be done for us was done by everyone on
board, especially the captain, his wife and children, who
seemed to be always looking for our comfort. Wickland,
the sailor, was in a bad way, but with proper treatment in
a quiet place he may regain his reason. At last we arrived
at Savannah, and once more stepped on dry land, which
was very pleasant to us after our terrible experience, and
the news of our disaster spread like wildfire, and the
evening paper called the Savannah Daily Times printed
the following, which I will give just as it was printed : —
Savannah, Georgia, Monday, Aug. 31st, 1885.
FOUNDERED AT SEA.
Another victim of the hurricane of Tuesday last. — The
schooner Gustie Wilson, from New York for Jackson
ville, goes down off Cape Hatteras. — Her crew take to
their boat. — Their fearful suffering. — Three drowned
and three finally saved.
This morning the schooner Emily Northam, Captain H.
H. Stetson, arrived in port, having been delayed on the
way by the storm of Tuesday last. He reports that he
had good, weather until about'fifty miles east of Hatteras,
when a hurricane struck him with full force.
He hove his vessel to and made every preparation for
meeting the" storm, fortunately pulling through it all right,
though badly shaken up. The next day about midday,
while still hove to, a boat was sighted bottom up with
three men clinging to it. He immediately prepared to go
down to it and see what he could do towards rescuing the
unfortunate sailors, but in this he had great difficulty as
the wind was blowing terrible strong and the seas were

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 1 47
rolling mountains high, and it was almost impossible to
make any sail on the vessel. He, after three hours' hard
work, managed to drift down to the boat, when he found
that she belonged to the schooner Gustie Wilson, Captain
Thomas Crapo, bound from New York to Jacksonville,
Florida, with railroad iron. Every sea that hit the boat
rolled her over and over, and washed those' clinging to it
for dear life as far as twenty feet away. They would
swim back only to be washed off again. Captain Crapo
estimates that this occurred at least one hundred times, but
fortunately they were always enabled to regain the up
turned boat and keep themselves afloat.
At last they sighted the Northam and hope revived that
they might be saved. After she had been sighted the mate
died from exhaustion and floated away. Captain Crapo
says, "We were on the bottom and clinging to the boat
for six hours and carrying on a fearful battle for life."
There were six of us all told, but only three live to tell
the tale, and they are badly used up. It was a terrible
experience, and our escape from death was miraculous.
They will always be able to relate a fearful tale of the sea,
one of the most thrilling to which we have ever listened.
Captain Stetson further reports that he passed a great
deal of wreckage all day yesterday, between St. Helena
Sound and the lightship, consisting of boats, bales of
goods, planks, drift-wood, and so on. The only thing he
could pick up was a case of lard marked " Diamond G."
He also passed a water tank and various other articles
belonging to vessels. He is showing the rescued seamen
every attention possible, and hopes to soon bring them
around all right again. He says he cannot begin to
express his feelings when he first saw them clinging to
that capsized boat, especially when he found so much diffi
culty in getting to them, and when he got them on board
he thinks he felt as happy as they did themselves.

148 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF
According to the theory of Admiral Semmes we must
have been caught in a cyclone. They are described as
having two motions, one forward in the direction in which
they are traveling, and another in a circle. Therefore
when a vessel first encounters one of these dread disturbers
of the elements, she is struck by the wind blowing in a
certain direction. As the storm passes on its course the
vessel gradually gets within the centre of the cyclone, and
there is almost a dead calm.
As the storm continues on its courses the vessel encoun
ters that portion of the circumference of the circle opposite
to that which first struck her, and she finds herself again at
the mercy of furious winds blowing from an entirely differ
ent direction. This was exactly the condition of the Wil
son as described by Captain Crapo. She was struck on
Friday night by the perimeter of the cyclonic circle, then
the cyclone passed over her, and left her in a calm, then as
it went on northward she was again struck by the circle,
with the wind from an opposite direction, and she found it
impossible to weather both attacks, consequently she
foundered. The Savannah Morning News of Feb. 15th, 1887, reads
thus : —
A Brave Man's Reward !

CAPTAIN STETSON S HEROIC CONDUCT AT SEA WORTHILY
RECOGNIZED.
About three weeks ago, just before leaving New York,
Capt. H. H. Stetson, of the schooner Emily F. Northam,
was presented with a handsome gold medal at the mari
time exchange, by the Life Saving Humane Benevolent
Society of New York, in recognition of his gallant rescue

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE I49
of Captain Crapo and two of his crew, of the wrecked
schooner Gustie Wilson, August 26th, 1885. His act was
applauded everywhere, and was considered a daring feat
of seamanship in the way it was done. The captain is
justly proud of his medal, and it is a just recognition of his
gallant conduct.
After remaining in Savannah a few days I bid the cap
tain and his family good-bye, and proceeded to New York,
having had a pass sent to me by the underwriters, and
from there I returned to New Bedford, where I stayed
quite a length of time, to recruit up.
Early the next spring I bought another schooner named
the Oriole, and have followed the coasting business up to
the present time. I am to-day in good health and spirits,
and am at present only waiting for the spring to open,
when I shall again bend sail and start in quest of cargoes,
for one must be up and doing these days in order to keep
their head above water.
I am in receipt of letters almost daily, with orders for
photographs of my wife and myself, and many times of the
boat, and as we get them by the thousand, we are always
ready to meet the demand.
Hoping my efforts to please have been successful, I will
close, with best wishes to all.

150 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF

My late husband, Captain Crapo, bought the brig
Manson of New Bedford in the spring of 1895. She
was run very successfully in the coasting business, carry
ing lumber and general merchandise between Boston,
Philadelphia, and Norfolk, Va. — Captain Crapo being
accompanied by myself on a good many of his voyages.
It may be interesting to note here that I was always con
sidered a fit first officer for the Manson, and it gives
me all the more regret to speak of the loss of the brig,
which occurred January 9th, 1898. In the beginning of
January she left Norfolk, Va., with a cargo of lumber for
Philadelphia, but encountered foggy weather, which be
came so severe that Captain Crapo deemed it advisable to
make for Delaware breakwater, and in doing so the brig
which he had made famous went ashore, and before assist
ance reached her there was no possible chance of saving
her, on account of the severity of the storm. The tug
North America was the one sent to her assistance, but
before she reached the Manson the seas had played
their sad havoc with the brig. I also desire to mention
that with the famous Manson perished the still more
famous 19-foot boat, the New Bedford, on which Captain
Crapo and myself crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1877,
which accomplishment is still fresh in the memory of the
people. A still greater loss has come to me since the loss of the
Manson and the New Bedford, and it is this loss that has
caused me to write this short article. While Captain
Crapo was on his way from New Bedford to Cuba in a
nine-foot boat named Volunteer this sad loss came to me.
On his voyage he had visited Fall River, Providence,

CAPT. THOS. CRAPO AND WIFE 151
Bristol and Newport. He left Newport May 3, 1899, and
was never heard of again until his body was found off
Charlestown beach, he having been drowned by the cap
sizing of his boat in a severe gale.
Just previous to the death of my husband he had the
misfortune to lose almost his entire estate, on account of
the loss of his vessel and other things, and I am now solely
depending on the result of the book " Strange but True,"
published by my late husband and myself. I therefore
commend the book to those who are in sympathy with in
creasing the sale of it, believing that it will be both enter
taining and instructive to all who read it.
With my best wishes to all,
Joanna Crapo.