The Fate of “Marco Polo.”
The Marco Polo in her old age was owned by Wilson & Blain, of South Shields; then the Norwegians bought her. After years in the Quebec timber trade, she was piled up on Cape Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, in August, 1883, and on the 6th her cargo of pitch-pine and the famous old ship herself were sold by auction and only fetched £600.
And so we come to the end of a short but wonderful period in the “History of Sail.”—Sic transit gloria mundi.
PART II.—“THE WOOL CLIPPERS.”
(Wood and Composite Ships).
With tallow casks all dunnaged tight, with tiers on tiers of bales,
With cargo crammed from hatch to hatch, she’s racing for the sales;
A clipper barque, a model ship, a “flyer” through and through,
O skipper bluff! O skipper brave! I would I went with you!