The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1856-08-07
For the Westerly Echo.
Correspondence.
Excursion TO Block Island.
July 3Oth, on Steamer Liberty.

The advertised excursion came of
brilliantly on the day appointed. A sea
fog obscured the prospect in the morn
ing,but the Westerlyans with character
istic enterprise led by their musical
corpse, turned their faces towards the
sea, and touching at Watch Hill and
Stonington point, sailed for Block Is
land, about 9 o'clock, A. NJ, arriving
at the harbor at noon, and dropping
anchor, were rowed safely to the land
ing under a clear sky and meridian sun.
The golden Gate " an excursion
steamer, from Norwich, Ct, on Tues
day, lay at anchor in the harbor, until
our arrival on Wednesday, being the
first steamer that has ever remained
there over night. After arriving at the
hotel, and partaking Of a substantial
dinner, the party assembled upon the
Piazza and took vote for President of
the United States, with the following
result Fremont, SO; Fillmore, 3
Buchanan, l. At the other hotels
where the remainder of our party
visited, no vote was taken. AS the
Westerly Brass Band, and Vincent's
String Band, were to give Concert in
the evening at the Town Hall, and
being myself stranger, never having
attended one of their concerts, | was
anxious to be present. l accordingly
went to the hall in the evening, and
found about two hundred persons as
sembled, where We listened two hours
to some excellent music. It was truly
crcditablc to the performers, and va.
well received by the audience. 1T was
a motley, but pleasing assembly, from
boyish childhood to hoary age. Some
listened attcntively and approximately
to the music, while others seemed be.
wildcred by the number and rareity oi
Brass and Stringed Instruments. Sew,
eral sitting in the pew with me, said
they could sit up all night to listen
The closing piece performed by the
String Band, together with the humor.
Gus performance of VIM. Kenneth, the
tamborine player, brought down th,
laundering applause of the house.
Some of the selections from operas ex
ecuted by the String Band, were very
difficult but we're performed in a very
gratifying.aEd~mas manner.
Concerts Of an instructive and pleas.
ing kind, are we'll adapted to elevate
the taste and refine the character of the
inhabitants of the Isle of Palatine
Ship" memory. A large number o.
them l am informed, have never stepped
upon the continent of America. Visi.
tors of late, perceive a very. marked i'm.
provcment among the people in theil
education, manners, and morals. -
There are about two hundred house:
and fourteen hundred inhabitants. The
island is about eight miles long anc
three broad, and began to be peoplet
about the year 1861. l saw in the
chief burying ground, the name O.
Acres Tois, who was buried in 1864
aged l0l years ; and also a woman
who died in 1857, aged Cd years. The
Islanders arc pre-eminent for fishing il
boats, unlike any found anywhere else
in the world. Their model is so home.
ly, they will not sink, and it is said the
fisherman would no sooner drown than q
duck. The old phantom ship Super.
stition, is gradually wearing away
though there is now and then an 4" old
salt /" who maintains that he has seen
the burning ship SO distinctly, as tc
notice the swapping of the tackliDg and
falling of the spars by the progress OF
the flames. l imagine that all this is
of piece, with the occasional sight of
the sea-serpent, off Nahant, and else
where. The secret of the whole may
be found in the visionary imaginings of
the superstitious and credulous. For
the accommodation, both of the Island
and visitors, the sloop +" Mazeppa,"
Capt. Fitch, leaves Stonington for the
Island, Tuesdays and Thursdays, at
9 O'Clock, A. NJ, returning leaves
Block Island, Wednesdays and Satur.
days, at 8 A. NJ.