The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-02-26
From the Lady's Book.
The PaIatin

where am now writing, there lies on rhe
breast ola beauiifule expanse of sea, "a dark,
sulky looking object, low and humpy, like
sea- serpent, bluff at one end like
spermaceti whale, and, altogether, form
ing no bad representation of large
specimen of that respectable fish.
1t is, however, no whale, but an island.
Devoid of the light, buoyant grace, and
feathery lift of hills, which make other
isles we wot of seem floating gardens of
an ocean paradise, and inhabited by
stupid race, half cod, half waterfowl, it
earned, and has borne, from the earliest
times, the name of Block Island. The
Block Island is us much distinct spe-
cies among the ''long shore people" of
New-England, os are the Gypsies among
Europeans. He may be known in any
village on the coast where he goes to
procure grist, or to get his blacksmith
ing done, by his stature and size five
feet five, Mt the utmost, and all the way
ofthe same bigness, like rice cask. He
may be known by his inimitable rolling
gait, by his peculiar accent, and even by
his peculiar voice,--now shril and whist
ling, like the wind through key-hole,
and anon, hoarse and grum, like the
same wind through the forest tops, or
the breakers on reef Add to these
the national costume, the renowned
roundabout, the body and sleeves Of
which are invariably Of different colors,
and set the Block-islander on board his
boat before furious gale, and you have
as unique flying phenomenon as land
or water can afford. Other peculiarities
they have. They burn nothing but peat
have few vegetables except sea-weed
and use no money but specie-havng
infinitely more confidence IN the Banks
OF Newfoundland, than IN the Bank of
the United States.
Their island being sterile, Providence
seems to have clearly pointed Out to them
their way upon the mountain wave forthe
means oflife. But sailors--in the nob'er
acceptation Of the word-they are not.
do NOT believe that Block islander ever
crossed the ocean, or embarked on any
other than fishing voyage. He would
not exchange his boat for the best ship
afloat. HIS boat is his darling; he loves
1t as fondy as the Arab does his desert
steed. And well may they be proud of
them.-Two masted, schooner-rigged,
exceedingly deep and sharp, they are the
swiftest and safest craft that swim. Of
ten are they known to put out to sea,
when heavy ships are lying to under
storm stay-sails; and the very sea-fowl
are seeking shelter on .he land.
Fisher men and Uomen then they are in
the broadest sense /; for even the softer sex
are SO much given to the waters, that, as
I am credibly informed, the girls are
web-footed. Indeed, the Indian philoso-
pliers say that the whole island is nothing
but a gigantic Goldfish, moored in these
seas, time out of mind, by the powerful
Manitto, who formed Nantucket with the
ashes of his pipe and that he will one
day get under weigh with the mer-men
and maidens who have settled on his
dorsal fin and put out to sea.
There is one trait peculiar to these ISL
anders, and to the Bahama wreckers, to
which l hardly know how to allude.
However, it is considered peculiarly un-
fortunate for vessel to be cast away
upon Block Island; and one hundred
years aga, the national character was
very decidedly dashed with propensity
to petty acts of piracy. Custom house
laws were lax, revenue cutters scarce,
and pilots in those days, could not, as
now, be expected to know every rock on
the bottom of the sea. To the stranger,
unacquaintcd with these facts, Block
Island would seem the last place in the
world to be associated with any thing ro-
mantle. The Phantom Ship of Block
Island has been seen by hundreds.
I, is several years ago that i embarked
at S,onington, on hoard one of their
boats, to crafty desire, which had
long INDUCED, Of visiting the Island.
After waiting till late in the afternoon
for breeze, we as length sailed with
broken windeJ one, undor which could
just lay our course. 1t pulled and pufled
and, at length, as if completely ex-
hausted, left us in flat calm off Watch
Hill. Here then was a beautiful predic-
ament, fifteen miles from the Island, in
an open boat on the open ocean, and the
prospect of stormy night (; for, just then,
the sun dropped behind huge mountain
of black cloud in the west, and painted
on it's southern edge zig-zag line of
volcanic brightness. IL grew dusk, and
the cloud rose higher, STOPPING over the
sea like some aerial monster that had
leagued with darkness and the waves for
our destruction. Its outermost edge
passed the zenith, and we began to feel
its breath. I, came gently, at firsi, and
fair.