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Appendix F. Captain Lancaster’s Daughter, Irene Johnson, Discusses Dashing Wave
- University Press of Florida
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Appendix F. Captain Lancaster’s Daughter, Irene Johnson, Discusses Dashing Wave The original transcript of this interview, conducted by Karl Kortum and Austin Keegan in October 1962, is held by the J. Porter Shaw Library of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. Omissions of irrelevant discussion are indicated in square brackets. Austin Keegan: We’re going out to see Irene Johnson, the daughter of Captain Richard Lancaster. Karl Kortum: Captain Lancaster was one of the most famous captains on the Pacific Coast, wasn’t he? Austin Keegan: He was, perhaps, one of the greatest. 1876 [sic], I believe, he was captain of the old Dashing Wave. Karl Kortum: The Dashing Wave was a true clipper ship. Austin Keegan: She was. [Omission] Austin Keegan: What’s your earliest recollection of the Dashing Wave? Irene Johnson: I can remember her because I was older. Karl Kortum: You were in the Canada first and then the Dashing Wave? Irene Johnson: Yes, we went to sea a lot on the Dashing Wave. Karl Kortum: Did the Dashing Wave lay up at Antioch [California]? Irene Johnson: No, she never laid up there. The Dashing Wave sailed most of the time.We loaded at Tacoma as a rule.It must have been better times. Lumber. 109 110 Appendix F. Captain Lancaster’s Daughter, Irene Johnson, Discusses Dashing Wave Karl Kortum: About what year did your father take her over? Irene Johnson: I was about six. Austin Keegan: 1897. Irene Johnson: Yeah, in around there, 1897 or ’98. Karl Kortum: How long did your father have her? Irene Johnson:Well he had her quite a few years.Up until we brought the first load of lumber to Alaska; Nome. We were children then. Of course we lay at anchor. There were no docks or anything. It was very hard to get ashore. You went ashore in a boat. You’d ride in on a wave and rest on the bottom, then you’d ride in on the next one and rest, until you got close enough to get out. [Omission] Karl Kortum: You then went to Seattle? Irene Johnson: No, we went back to Puget Sound; Tacoma. Karl Kortum: You had left from Tacoma? Irene Johnson: With a load of lumber. That’s what they wanted then. They wanted to build shelters for the winter. My mother couldn’t sleep because the sun shone the whole time. They worked quite a bit at night. Then we came back and I think my father made another trip up there. That was the end of the Dashing Wave. You know after she was turned over . . . [Omission] Karl Kortum: Was that when she was made into a barge? Irene Johnson: Yes, shortly thereafter. Austin Keegan: He sailed her right into the dock and people could understand . . . Irene Johnson: Yes, my father sailed with the Dashing Wave right up to the Long Wharf in Oakland, right up alongside. But you could handle her. When we went up to Alaska; when we went through Unimak Pass [54.224.90.25] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 12:01 GMT) 111 Appendix F. Captain Lancaster’s Daughter, Irene Johnson, Discusses Dashing Wave up there.You know he lashed the rudder and backed his sail—foresail— you know and she [backed] right astern like a steamer. Instead of tacking that’s the way he did it, going back and forth across the straits.You could handle her just like a yacht. Oh he loved her. His heart and soul was in her. When he left her it took years off him. If anybody even marred the woodwork on her it was like they drove a knife in him. She had a beautiful cabin. It was all white and it had an aqua blue—just a narrow strip that went between the fancy moldings. Then the gilt. Oh she was beautiful. Karl Kortum: The cabin was finished out in white? Irene Johnson: Yes, you know the ferryboats did that for a while. They had their interiors painted and they had a trim of blue and gold. I think that was the style in those days for the cabins. She had a beautiful cabin. And her dining room—we had an oblong table and the seats were made with a back that you could go back and put them up against the table with your back to the table so you switch it this way to eat. And the mizzen mast went right down through the...