232 THE CRATER; be turned to better account than in the construction of another vessel, and it was believed she could furnish mate rials enough for two or three such craft. Out of compli ment to his old owner, Mark named this schooner in em bryo, the * Friend Abraham White, though she was com monly known afterwards as the Abraham. The cutting of the frame of the intended schooner was a thing easy enough, with expert American axemen, and with that glorious implement of civilization, the American axe. But it was not quite so easy to get the timber down to the cove. The keel, in particular, gave a good deal of trouble, fleaton had brought along with him both cart and wagon wheels, and without that it is questionable if the stick could have been moved by any force then at the command of the colony. ,By suspending it in chains be neath the axles, however, it was found possible to draw it, though several of the women had to lend their aid in mov ing the mass. When at the head of the Stairs, the timber was lowered on the rock, and was slid downwards, with occasional lifts by the crowbar and handspike. When it reached the water it was found to be much too heavy to float, and it was by no means an easy matter to buoy it up in such a way that it might be towed. The Anne was three times as long making her passage with this keel in tow, as she was without it. It was done, however, and the laying of the keel was effected with some little cere mony, in the presence of nearly every soul belonging to the colony. The getting out and raising of the frame of the Friend Abraham White took six weeks. Great importance was attached to success in this matter, and everybody assisted in the work with right good will. At one time it was doubted if stuff enough could be found in the ship to plank her up with, and it was thought it might become necessary to break up the Rancocus, in order to complete the job. To Bridget s great joy, however, the good old Rancocus so they called her, though she was even then only eight years old the good old Rancocus time had not yet come, and she was able to live in her cabin for some months longer. Enough planks were found by using those of the twixt decks, a part of which were not bolted down at all to accomplish all that was wanted.
