Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-04-20
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IS - =. -
Tue United States are less understood IN Rhode-Is-
lrnd than the inhabitants or Block Island. Shut
cat from tho world as the barrier of the occan-a!
communication cut OFT except Wheu the waters are
tranquil enough to permit their boats to float upon
their bosom, this iSl1ud appears TO be q little world by
itself. apart from every thing but the white crested
biiiow, and dense blue sea-!og. The island lies high
in the water, on an average ten feet hiGhertltan Mon
tang Point, which is the nearest land. iul'. Il is desti-
tute Of n harbor, even Tor its fsh~ing-snacks as a
North West wind sweeps down Long Island Sound
on the one hand, and a south wind drives in from the
Atlantic on the other, rendering insecure any position
that might b. taken around her iatcd land. She ap-
pears to have been severed from her more important
~neighbor, Long Island, on purpose to elicit oatfs from
seHTen, who had muchrather behold ono uninterrupted
view Of successive billows, than 70 have tile prospect
brokcn by sIch an uncouth lump of sand and gravel
Nor DO they complain OF Block la nd without cause.
Many is the fincShip that has laid he bones uron the
rocks that stud the extreme points of this no-nan's
land, and manv more have but just escaped 4 sifnils-
'a.c; and scarce Il mariner comes in view gift, tl,sk
does not call 10 imnd snrlc s~iup-rlatc vino made his
last splice in that neighborhooi, and who lied within
view OF hs destined haven. hut for oil these well!
founded FrejuGjces, Block Island is n beacon OF ioy to
thou anl- who come in from thu 'ktecp pasture," as
the Yankees term The Atlantic, and who frou n for
cign land sock thai ofthcir nativity. Block Island i,
the point FROM whence they take tbcir departure, aud
the first land they make ON their return, and for that
reason X greeted by thr returning sean7n as the first
GLIMPSE OF his much beloved home.
But from the Island We turn 10 that singular race
''f fNBN ~ - AFNNHn ithAh FFgAAAA bE FAION u
20 rs even FIVE net him on the other side of the
globe, IN tho mammoth city of Pekin, or the donIin-
ions OF the Great Mogul. Ha has becr the same,
without q shadow ofchUnge, since his island was Gr.t
irha5itrd.-Onc would know him by his look alone
! Ibis weather bcatcn face and an eye that to oil an.
pNarunc" has been blcached while penetrating the
Tog that hangs above aud around the island like \
canopy. One would know him by lis forin-buiit
for strenUth rather than fOr beauty, undlthat n1turnl
strength increased by constant hardslIips and expe-
sure to water add TO sun, the frame is spread 10 n dc.
cree that could not fail. 20 be ever known M or hay
inr been known once. Ent most Of all, he would 10
known by his dress. Having seen the cosiume ofono
Biock-Is'andor YOU have seen them ALT is n Gu.
rious mixture Cftha New-Elgiand farmer. and tho
saarlan. There IS the homsspun pcppcr-and-salt or
black broad cloth. mud upon its surface n hugo patch
OF Russin Duck. There IS the torpaulin hat which
marks thc seaman, and tho cotton Banda ma hand
kercIicfthat tells ofbirn from the Green Mountains:
but most Of al have We looked Mt What covers his
legs from one extremity TO the other, aud arc doiomi-
mated boots. These arc known wherever they arc
eecn-fronl ono extremity CT tho continent 10 the
O'hcr-thcy could lHve been modelled at no other
place, and M attempt TO initiate them would be as
Ruthless rs uuproEtujie--watcr could not penetrate
and fire hardly consume this part III their wardrobe
e. and thny gill stand Tor aecs, as monuments of tho
people who invented them. They arc worn nv al
classes. from young 10 Old. varying not even in their
size; and il Is said thGt Instances have been known
where thcy were drawn on nj the p7n Of ten years
and worn without being shifted unit! their owner
WIS thirty. ~ Pror. CuIet.