Left on Labrador
Yacht.-The Schooner "Curlew."-Capt. Mazard.-Guard.-The Gloucester Boys.-"Palmleaf, Sar."-Getting
called on Wade and the writer of the following narrative early on the morning of the 16th. Brown
he door. "Latest news from Mount Katahd
pers, and pulled him down the steps on to the sidewalk barefoot; thereby scandalizing a whole houseful of prim damsels across the street, who indignantly pulled down their curtains. Such
been to breakfast
reakfast. We'll leave 'em to guzzle their coffee in peace. But hurry up! We mu
wer
o the back parlor, shut the doors, and proceeded to pow-wow
ied. The fifteen thousand dollars was paid without so much as winking. Might have had twenty thousand dollars just as well; but I didn't know it when I made the offer. Hope you won
t, and tender our sincere thanks for his e
seconded by K
with this money? Of course we must plant it somewhere,
ith it," suggested Wade, "s
g the whole of
ined,'" quoted Wade. "What s
bonds," said Kit;
de. "Your abolition government may t
if it does,-like a certain governme
d secretary to order,
ad a million, it might be worth talking of. I really don't just know where to put our little fifteen thousand dollars to make it pull
rig
had just come in. Raed sta
Won't work yourselves; won't even let your money work honestly: want to set it to
anything hazardou
ething not too sharp, sort of over a
our style,"
speculation. That would be near home for you; and you can go
id Kit. "Where is t
out in the Back Bay, north-west of the city here, along the Charles River. City is growing rapidly out that way. We have got up a sort of company of share-owners of the space out on the tidal marsh. These shares can be b
lly any bottom to
out there somewhere. But we shareholders
o the company,"
st take the risk with the rest of us. You put in ten thousand: and, if you want me to do so, I will be on the lookout for your interes
us to invest in t
y that it was as w
ws?" Raed inquir
comes under the head of real estate; and real estate is generally c
It's kind of amphibious; half real estate
our remaining five thousand dollars, we put three thousand dollars into 5-20 bonds, and deposite
n in town; and the next morning met at nine, at Ra
and launched so as to make a voyage this summer. Such a vessel as we want can't be built and g
said
said
hen?" a
essel," I
o that?"
likely tha
one of us know anything about sailing a vesse
a state of things; but not till now ha
folly for us to go out of port
it would,"
aid Raed. "We shall have to
ry light nor very pleasant work for us, I'm thinking. If w
ll we learn how to manage a v
said Kit. "What shall we be able to do the firs
all be much seasick?"
ugh, for a while," said Raed. "We must expe
we want, with a skipper, and a crew of five or six,"
veral yachts were down there last summer. Found good fishing. Had a fine
r our first voyage
oner and skipper, with a crew, we might do something more than just
ar voyage at that rate. If we are going into all this expense
nd we met with no accident? If everything went well, why not sail on u
Hudson Bay," laughed Wade. "What is there so
here is a coast-line of more than two thousand miles, with Indian tribes on its shores as wild and savage as when Columbus first came to America. Just think of the adventure and wild scenery one might witness on a voyage round there! It's a shame we Americans can't go in there if we want to. The idea of letting half a dozen little red-faced men in London rule, hold, and keep everybody else out of th
" cried Kit, pattin
imminent!" exclaimed Wade. "Meth
rather apt to fly off on such tangents. We have to sprinkle him with
at say for going as far north as Hudson St
s anything to ur
that we have not yet hir
e sooner we find out wha
f employ there. Wade and I were unable to see or hear of anything at all to our minds in our harbor, and came up home at about seven, P.M. Kit and Raed had not got back; nor did
morning train. The b
rt nor Portsmouth," said Raed. "But I think we've
re at the wha
lked
e is!" po
a hundred and seven
ptain's a youngish man, but a good sailor. We inquired about him. Appears like a good fellow too
he schooner; can go if he's a mind to. So we sha'
does he say?
h, pay full insurance fees on the vessel, hire him six good seamen, and give three hundred
going to cost us s
he best and only thing
ew?" Wade asked. "Why does
p there among the ice on a dangerous coast, he wants Gloucester boys,-Gloucester or Na
s he?" a
he Prebl
man was rather grave for one of his years. Occasionally, however, when anything particularly pleased him, he developed a vein of strong, rich mirth, which would endure for several hours. He impressed us at once as a reliable man,-one to be depended on under any ordinary circumstances. We decided (very wisely as I now think) to accept his offer; and, after dinner, went down to the Marine Insurance Office to take out a policy on the vessel. On learning th
to the wharf where
he companion-way as we jumped down on deck, but, perceiving the capt
Kit remarked. "Keeps wat
the schooner without I bid him. Wants his dinner t
is name?"
ua
erved Raed. "Hope you will
oath to go off
e whole length of the vessel. Off the forward end of this saloon was to be parted a cook's galley, with another section for the seamen's berth
or thereabouts, at forty dollars per month. They looked a little rough, but turned out to be very good sailors; which was the most we wanted. Their names, as they gave them to us, were Richard Donovan, Henry Corlis
where we were going, not caring to brave the chill of polar latitudes. The other, who was not a little tattered in his wardrobe, and correspondingly reckless, was quite
me?" Rae
s, sar. Been cook on
Wade, who was coming in. "You never
ately 'dopt
Wade, looking at him as if he was a
n hesi
ve, I mean. Yes, you
d me Palmle
shall call you. None of yo
" Kit said. "Give him
ough of his airs
; and it is but simple justice to him and his race to add, that, like the traditionary s
cester as soon as the carpenter-work was finished. He would need two or three hands temp
avis Straits, as well as in Hudson Straits, if we should venture in there: indeed, we might be cau
r strengthened with cross-beams and braces? A few strong b
s we bought in Boston, and had them sent to Gloucester by rail. It seemed desirable for us landsmen to have our food as nearly like that we had been in the habit of having as possible. We accordingly purchased five barrels of flour (not a little of it spoiled) at eight dollars per barrel; three of salt pork at sixteen dollars per barrel; two of beef at twelve dollars; six of potatoes at two dollars and fifty cents; two fifty-pound tubs of butter at thirty-five cents per poun
s! Which of us was responsible for the proposition for lemonade in Hudson Straits has never been satisfactory settled. We none of us can remember how the lemons came on board. Wade says they were bought as an antidote for sea-sickness. A far
each (bought at an auction-sale), with a quantity of cartridges, one hundred and twelve dollars. For an old six-pound howitzer, purchased by Capt. Mazard from a sc
non in a wrought-iron frame, arranged with a swivel for turning it, and a screw for elevating or depressing the muzzle. This novel weapon was, as I must needs own, one of my
autical telescopes, also ice-anchors, ice-chisels, sounding-
en dollars; cost of getting in fuel and water, thirty-three dollars; and other bills to the amount of forty-nine dollars: in all, two hundred and seventy-seven dollars. We had thus to pay out at the start over eleven h