Schooner Polly of Belfast in Harbor at Amesbury Massachusettts. Man in canoe paddles close to two masted schooner. Small sailing sloop on the right. Marked on back, “(From one of two negatives, made for Mr. [Pearl] Henry [Mio] of Roslindale, Boston, Massachusetts, August 4, 1904.) Schooner Polly of Amesbury, Mass. “My Anchor falls when first any persons flew.” Believed by many to be the oldest American vessel in active service - that is, to have been originally a sloop, keel laid at Amesbury, Mass, August 4, 1804 and launched in February, 1805 and to have been the vessel sailing out of Salem, Mass early in the War of 1812 as privateer commanded by Captain {Hearty] of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. See story of Polly history filed at Essex Institute, Salem, Mass. Boston Sept.15, 1904. Two copies, one form each negative to Captain D.E. Pray of Mount Desert, Maine with respects and best wishes of [-----]Henry Mio and of Boston Sep. 21, 1904. [-----].
