| Show l 4 I w i I II I 94 9 I 7 t t r. r An 77 7 j A Z A N I J 1 La i I T j i L t r- r 3 N Tt T- T i cW f v 70 Of ur the lie a vast t crowds who Iw will the tiLe Jamestown ox exposition this year car thero will II be thousands who will go goto t to Cape Capo Hem Henry and stand stan upon the lofty sand duno and gaze gae seaward watchIng the shipping come cumo and amI go bO On Ozi clear summer days dayi when the sky y is 18 bright azure the sun Un n a ball of tt golden lire liro and the Illimitable le sea Hen re reIl reflects re- re Il I Jn in Ha Its tha tho beau beau- J r tlc tf i of the to h ill therein 11 tW lJ f cUP cap p ori on lt I tUI C j I 1 wu l l In IW t m 1 r rio fro o 1 HUO RO 1 hi 1 in g i senile gentle cadence lit In n tho thu Ii cel an and CV J o of the UCC neveE waters Day alter after day the watchers groin from rom i ithe the hilltop will discern these craft and antl naturally will w ak ask the question What hat are those boats an and ever cr and anon the they will sec ee cc wisps of or smoke e and gleams of or canvas rise Ilse out of or the horizon develop Into steamers steam steam- ers er 1 1 sailing vessels that come I grai and anti maj majestically up to the tile cape an and one of or the two little steamers steam steam- ers awaken awalen into life and move rapidly fi tn tho vessel A Ji tJ boat l- l lIs Is Is O lowered three men jump Into litO It an and away awny it goes pitching an and tossing across the hilts hills of or water up to the Iho new nev arrival As the boat goes boes alongside one of or the men nen is Been seen to Jump and like e a. a fly ny crawl quickly up tho the towering bide while the little boat backs off orr aU and aud returns Even Evon before It is again to its davits the thu larger c vessel eJ hUH has gotten golten under way while she has lias faded fadell nn and in a fl L short into the Chesapeake Day going toward tho thu marts I But nut while ships come conic and go SO in an endless procession tho the two little steamers remain drifting hither and thither aimlessly and without without with with- out reason and ami again the thc Que question Uon To those What boats boals are ale they ho ho l by tV v lh their ll very verv question do not 7 know the Iho answer Is that thaL they arc are the thc pilot boats 7 L Pilots What a a. world of romance that thai word woud conjures to lv the Imaginative f mind Who has hits not read James Fen Fon- Coopers Cooper's famous sea yarn felt Celt their blood tingle Tho The Pilot and as thc they read tho the story of how j 4 I accomplished the tho seemingly I sible And yet the tho men who today are arc I Ithe the pilots of or our coast arc are ju Just t such sturdy stalwart men but were one would they them to wiy l ty romance romance- to laugh even as It is the cu custom tom of tho the seafaring man mait to forget the dangers and ton toll of oC hi his profession the thO moment reached cached and tho mud mud- the harbor is t. t baylo bay bay- tho the bottom bottoni of or the thc hoo hook hoo finds is isa To lo meet the thu pilots as man nian to man is Js a u calling a 3 pleasure pleasure- Their trade of Its that thal few Cew pursue not because of or circumstanceS circumstances circum circum- because but har hardships of or which I will Ill tell later lator an and stances of tho ho word worda thoy thuy are ni-c in Iii every s-enao s exist that the commerce com com- a u cho chosen cn few Cew who might be country countr great merce of our 11 V aid aided cd I all aU the more that As in most lines of or business undergone a change h has o of piloting century anti and now half haIr the past during where been pl placed CC on a a. piano plane J it has hns but at aL the r J it is a u business proposition tremendous represents a amo same time It of In- In communion 3 t advance in tho i or of the use of or From Flom the of means vesel as Ii a their been pilots Thus havo hao there and honorable one I calling Is nn ati old of the c monarchs I. I I rue thoe pilot w f l high honors hono emblems or of orI ot or- rich richest cst the lie He wore sphere he hc lice nn and In his surveyed I or of all he monarch was vas the the- be fol In j might And nd well he the r M c ever cr cr c J there those days a Is Jg a ai what I dominating thought or of v na direct f it Ir there thoro be flU on to I I 4 t. t vessel the Iho i- i of uC out her III in and amI I I Irr the luo 1011 I h her r i nol nels l keep keel cp and bring S her safely rr shoals and rocks locks oS chan I with h i home la n l ur Of f a liw disc It was s a the abnormally J uy en e for 01 forr or It deVeloped d ab no rma fitting Otting- that t f It nut not anti and wal iU r r tho those c times S of the great ducts spirit the thu guidIng honored bo be signallY Roman Rom the ther i pilots were As Af the tho derived from that word I Is naturallY C. C Rb II- l II is I- t COUIe and or if r uree I Y 1 obvious but bUl a as shipping developed tlc and towns and cities sprang Spra up on the rival elver and bays buys contiguous to tu the tho ocean there thole came a class o g of pilots who vho acted acted act act- r ed cd n that capacity only in their local Joeal waters and gradually this his system n ex- ex 1 ox d until today there Lucre I Is scarcely a u port of or any consequence on un the face of Ut tho globe where herc upon the display of bt this the s signal a pilot may not bo bc ru J j ct L J J J. J UI l t c lit rM fir f I Ilu lu i J l nd re t. t I lh h a i I r VI n ii t tt tit Lb e. e e various ulf oat great g a. ba e. e Sonio Somo of the vessels yes ves sels soh left loU their tili bones upon the rocks and these rude beacons bencon marked c 1 the tho path for fOl those who followed ves In the Ow early earl days davs of or lean American his ty pilot w. w were wC C scarce carce null and man many a aeH eH vessel el as compelled to lay for or days YM outside the bar awaiting the com corning In o of or the pilot boat anti and the thc pilot was 8 h Indeed hee ee a welcome guest for he not only a. a assured the skipper o of a a. speedy speed termination of hi his voya voyage e but h h. h brought the current news of or the lay day I than This is even more mOle true ti-ne today it thon for Cor the of those d days ay could ri only of lell tell of tilO the tho happenings on his own shore as perhaps the thu lie vessel vessel ves yes sd sel Itself was as the bearer of or the tine latest tidings from the other eil side fide o of or the Atlantic Today with tho the cables singing sing sIng- In big ing their thell song and shouting to the the tho events of the world the tho skipper be he without the wireless telegraphy is frequently astounded to leRIn that h making history events have ud t since he lie last lost left port and the few newspapers brought by the pilot are indeed welcomed When the shipping interests o of tho the country were ivere small man there theio was much I In tn securing pilots ut the I number of oC ships increased Increase many young men entered the business not only because of ur a love for or It 11 but because it wax wan The rhe seaboard states soon enacted laws whereby anyone who could COUIl pass the examination could coul become a pilot pHot and It was not nut long IonS before there thelo were a n number Being a 3 pilot was one thing thins an and having a 0 vessel In which I they hey could remain at sea soo in weather of ot all ail kinds wan wa another and the men banded for tor mutual protection and benefit A h. h half r dozen or 01 more would build J a hoot fleet littie little lit lit- tle tie schooner and sail about off the vessels harbor harbol awaiting Incoming It was not long before another set of pilots would show up with their schooner and thus began the days of or competitive piloting which w will always be remembered and ond of which so much has been beon written As the number of boats on tn an any one station increased ed the little vessels would be sent seaward in their quest and it was ives not uncommon I for a pilot boat t to crul cruise c off of shores for days and amI even evon weeks without sighting sightIng sightIng sight- sight Ing a sail suII an anti and 1 put back into port with wale I and provisions exhausted While While- each cach boat was cruising lode lode- pend nUY it sometimes occurred that tho the lookouts on two or more moro would sight a sail mil or smudge of or smoke at nt atthe atthe the same sante lime Linac and then them would v ensue a race such as would be deemed In Incredible In- In credible at ot It the tho present time limo It matters not to the men on ott the tine opposing boats whether tho the wind wa was blowing blo half huH a Ial gate gale or seas running mountains high th th first man to reach thi deck leek of or the coming vessel OuM cot iet the and nud that was I I I I I lh the tho nil all nt thought to thorn Watching each ach other like hawks hawk the boots boats would head for tor their quarry ant and CI C every bit of oC canvas that could coult be bo carried was I ret Fet t and away they went vich ach boat hont through the henning seas sews burying lien her rails ben beneath be be- n neath ath solid green gleen water and taking the crests of the U waves In J I her deCks deCks- kH In such Much races it was not uncommon to blow aWa away sails lose lose- m masts and oven of to thC w. w and ond yet et It was wag these races that led to the development of or fast boats and tho the pilot schooners held the r reputation of Ing bo-Ing the swiftest craft of their kind kinda a afloat It Is 18 stated on good authority that tho the Pilot boat Harry larry Clay owned by bythe bythe the Maryland pilots WILl UI used ll as HS a R amodel nod model 1 for fol the lines Jines of ot the famous yacht America that won tho the Queens Queen cup CUR In calm caIrn weather when hon tho the fleet of ot pilot bouts lII could nut not lJ be sailed toward J t v vV 11 V j iJ ri t I. I i i 4 L if II I j ki I It t f A. A r J w 3 t I v t kt v T r- r 2 7 1 4 I I l L t t t. t it a f af Z L fl the In Incoming vessel l the adventurous I men Jumped Into them their skiffs and end rowed rowed 10 row row- ed cd sometimes t ten n miles racing and contesting every evely Inch and ana not until tho the fortunate pilot was climbing up tip the sides of or prize did the others with with- with with-I draw At t night and in Itt thick weather the I pilots played a all sorts of 01 tricks on i each ach other A As each schooner was was was' supposed to carrr calr a n while light at h her i j masthead and sot sol off a 0 flare Clare every velY few minutes it Il became the custom to I carry the tine white light in a barrel and thus without any lights tho vessels would cruise e on their station I No Now v and th then 11 a pilot boat bOlt would put off ocr from the C Capos Capes her crew I merry and her Iter pennant flying proudly 1 In the brec breeze She would bo be seen ur off I the station during the early part of th the tho I evening but there would be no sign Ign of or her he the following morning t l I ate dayt dayn an and weeks would go by and then I would woul be added to the lists of missing missing miss miss- ing ships and long Jons line of or mysteries with which the he old ocean ocean abounds I One of ot the most remarkable wrecks or of a schooner was the loss losa of or I the Antelope with all an but one of ot her liet crew The schooner was wall cruising ort off Cape Henry and was caught in a northeast hurricane One by one she lost her sails and drilled drifted so far tar south that she could not make her way Into the Chesapeake ako Day Tay for shelter She was put und under l' l short sail soil and hen hei hatches hatchet firmly battened down but tin tha mountainous seas swept her decks nn ad man after man of oC her crew craw swept overboard and drowned until but one was left and the ve vessel J. J helpless was WaE driven toward the beach bench A moment before the hapless boat struck tit tins tin breakers the lone lono pilot took refuge c below closing the hatch after atter him and ana in the darkness awaited hi fate Cate Thrown by the terrific force of ot the waves n the schooner hit the outer bar Her lIeI masts broke te off ocr HJ like e pipe I stems and tho the hull rolled over anti and andover over ovel as It hurtled toward the b adi Who tho can Imagine the re feelings of or the tine prisoner or what ho he suffered mentally lIy or physically tossed about as a a. pea pc ina in ina a 0 bottle and convinced that every moment moment mo mo- ment meat would be his Ills last Jast Impelled Impell d by the strength of each I successive surge the lIne little schooner was finally cast bottom up to the waters water's edge che where she sho lay stilled Ull d forever The man within as ns he felt the last lunge Jungo of or his prison took re renewed re- re d hope and although h exhausted and bruised and bloo blooding bleeding set about the task of oC freeing himself With au an anax ax 11 procured front from tho the gall galley e he ho chopped chop chop- lCd ped ills hit way through the tIne side of oC the hull mull but ho Ito found that the sand had plied piled a against the vessel to such ci u 0 height that ho Ito was compelled to tunnel tun turn mel nel more inure than 20 o feet but buL ho he finally Hl to tell tJI his bis c es n marvelous story Under these circumstances the people peo peo- II itle Ie on shore horo began egan to look Jook upon ullOn the calling cullins us a u daredevil trade and yet there were always plenty of oC young oung uncut men willing to Join the tho ranks g of or the theman themen men man who were not afraid Now and then a 0 schooner would run un up UT tho the coast a bit and wait for a aISt steamer am r that was shortly expected Another Another An An- other r boat would cum come up during Lug the i I I. I 0 j i r ti j r r t. l it ij 0 Ir i t t I 4 f J jo J 1 r ri i i ij u j A 1 tVA sr t Rie 4 4 LJ I J I r night 1 see e her hen rival 11 douse her lights and quietly sn sneak ak by in the darkness and amI pick up the tho steamer possibly several soy sev oral eral hUn hundred miles further up the coast So keen was ivani tho the competition that pilots often orten waived a a. portion of their fee tee for the privilege of or boarding a vessel far from land and when the steamer 1 would draw up to the tho other pilot boat and notify her that sIre silO al already already al- al ready had a a. pilot vilot there would be abit a abit abit bit o of swearing and then them that bo boat l would woul go JO just a little farther further out When the tho civil war broke out o the pilots of or Virginia and the South offered of ot orad their services to the Confederacy acy for Cor as shipping was wa-s paralyzed ParalYze there lucre was but little use UNO in their ro- ro off tho coasts Tine Tho Conr d orate government was only too loo glad slad to avail Itself of or such sueh men and ami William Parrish William Clark George Wright and Williams were vere the master master mas mas- ter hands that guided guide the famous ironclad ironclad iron iron- clad l known to tu Confederates S' S Sus us as the Virginia during her engage engagement ment ut with tine the th Monitor Other pilots pIJOL engaged in Iii blockade l running anti and Charles Nelson sall gained d fame ramo an and money in the ami al perilous occupation of steering ri ng tho tIne Her lIeI Rip nip and Let Iet Tier Her Be when J of pork and rosin were veto fed to th furnaces and und It was a ase case se of ot escape the enemy or burst tho thu boilers Not only did the tine pilots Join C ll tl IS c ranks of ur th the tho Confederacy but CS C even their vessels an and two of their theil the Plume and anid Hope were sunk aL aLI I Mu Mill Creek about a mile above Bluff on uni the James river riven an and formed 1 the round foundation c lon for tOl a bridge that thrown across at that place At the tIne close of the war and tho rc establishment of uninterrupted d trade to together with tIne tho establishing of I l I there came a change change |
