CHAPTER II.

READY TO SAIL ALL ON BOARD 19 MAY YACHT RUNS ON A REEFNAVY-YARD AND DRY DOCK-REPAIRS SOON MADE- DEPARTURE 20 MAY PILOT LEFT YACHT-MUSTER-ROLL OF THE PARTY -FAMILY WORSHIP - EMOTIONS OF VOYAGERS SAFETY, NOT SPEED, THE RULE — STRIKE OF FIREMEN - GREEN HANDS — DIVINE SERVICE LAND-BIRD -CONCERTS -GREAT RUN OF THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR MILES -COMFORT AND LUXURY OF VOYAGE-MR. VANDERBILT'S COURTESY

PILOT-CHANNEL.

ALL preliminary arrangements having been made, and the "North Star" having made a satisfactory trip to Sandy Hook,the only trial to which she was subjected, the party assembled on board for our departure, May 19th, at the wharf belonging to the Allaire works, near the foot of Corlears-street. A party of our friends, consisting of between four and five hundred persons, was on board the yacht, who were to accompany us to the Hook, and return in the Francis Skiddy, which, as a mark of respect to Mr. Vanderbilt, had been loaned for the occasion by her owner, J. McCullough, Esq. At half past ten A. M. the wheels were in motion, but in three minutes after, the force of the ebb-tide operating upon the yacht, which had no steerage-way, she struck hard and fast upon the reef which lies at the pier. Here we were placed in what an old gentleman on board termed "a located position." The Huguenot steamer came to our assistance, and in a few hours we entered the Dry Dock, at the Government Navyyard, where we received all necessary aid, afforded in the kindest manner by Commodore Smith, the chief of the Bureau of the Dock and Navy-yard, and Captain Boorman, the commandant of the Navy-yard. It ought to be stated, that as soon as the acci

26

NAVY YARD AND DRY DOCK.

dent occurred a telegraphic message was sent to the Secretary of State and the Navy Department; and an order was promptly responded that we should be received at the Dry Dock, which, fortunately, was unoccupied at the time. The Dry Dock is a most splendid work of art; and by the force of the powerful steam-engine it was soon emptied, and the North Star was exposed to the examination of the ship-carpenters. It was found that the damage was very slight; she had only lost a part of her shoe, and roughed her copper in a few places. Everything was made right in a short time, and the anxiety of the party, which had been considerable, lest a delay should prove inevitable, was at once relieved; and, at seven minutes to eight o'clock P. M., on the 20th of May, we left the gates amid the cheering of our kind friends who lined the dock; and, as we steamed down the river, we fired salutes and received them from various ships, and at the Battery, where a large party had gathered to give us a farewell greeting. As the North Star passed by Staten Island, and just opposite to the residence of Mr. Vanderbilt's mother, rockets were let off, and guns fired from the yacht. The night was fine, and the moon, shining in a cloudless sky, gave us a charming view of one of the sweetest islands of the world. At half-past nine o'clock we were outside the Hook, and all in fine spirits, as the pilot, Mr. John Martineau, left the ship. Just before leaving, he was called into the cabin and received the present of a purse of gold, which was intended to show that no blame was attached to him by Mr. Vanderbilt on account of the disaster at leaving the dock on the previous day. The presentation was made by Mr. H. F. Clark.

Perhaps this may be the proper time to record the muster-roll of the party, which consisted of the following persons:

MR. AND MRS. CORNELIUS VANDERBILT,

MRS. JAMES CROSS,

MISS KATE VANDERBILT,