Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-08-06
flor the Delaware lnquirer.1
MY EXPERIENCE AMONG THE SAND SPAN
IARDs, OR A VISIT TO THE JARsEYS.
TcoscLuDRD.1

[coNcLuDRD,
It was near the time of starting when we
arrived at the wharf, and in few minutes
the big bell swung heavily upon its iron axis
and proclaimed to the wayfarers that their
soiour1 was ended. Those on board now be-
gan to look about them for seats, while on the
wharf and about the gang way all was hurry
and scramble to get on board.
NIoorings We're now cast off and the steamer
started onward making gentle curve as she
moved along until reaching the right direc
ton, full head of steam was turned on and
away we sped for the Jarseys. Leaving my
friend in the ladios saloon-he having a
penchum for that half of the human family
| ascended TO tho hurricane deck, and seating
myself in a shady spot looked out upon the
pleasant prospect around me. Houses, fields
and forests passed swiftly before my vision
and as ga2ed upon the wide and beautiful
panorama of Nature, | thought, how like the
tleeting life of mortal man was the broad ex-
psnse upon which my eyes now rested. Here
are the green fields of living verdure, without
blasted leaf or stem to remind one of the
perishableness of all created things; here
towers the mighty oak, lifting to Eternal
summer its majestic branches. ambitious to
look down disdainfully upon the world below
here stands the lonely moss covered rock, I'M
moved in its death-lke solitude by the fuctu-
atoms around it, a picture of lifc scared and
ruined by sorrow and disappointment, while
here stretches out q barren waste, without
green spot or oasis to relieve from general
ruin and hopelessness its stricken surface
Truly, indeed, doth the poet say,
Life is but strife,
IT'S a bubble, It's dream,
And man is but little boat
Floating down the stream.
But these reflections have nothing to do
withthe incidents ofmy journey, and will for
bear their further pursuit. While sitting alone
on the deck, the big bell again spoke ont in
its thsnder tones, and told of our arrival at
Facony, in the kingdom Jarsey, and going be-
low rejoined my friend and pushed in among
the throng, which now surrounded the gang
way. In a few minutes tho boat was along
side the landing and the passengers, in solid
mass, crowded ashore as if their very lives
depended upon their haste.
The cars were here in waiting, and without
delay the passengers took their seats and
very soon were humping and humping along
overthe New Jersey railway, at speed quiteas
rapid as was reconciliable with safety. did
not at irstperceiye that this part of the moral
vineyard differed materially in appearance
from other parts in which had travelled, un-
til we had iourneyed along several miles, when
noticed that the earth in all directions pre-
sented a red color, looking somewhat like an
immense paintpot, sndthc whole surface of the
country was cut up into small patches like
garden spots.
Turning to strangerwho satiinmediately be-
hindme, andwho thought looked as ifhe might
have been to the manor horn, inquired Of him
what articles ofagriculture were mostly grown
in these parta and why the farmers 50 cul their
land up in 'shreds and patches.'' Helooked
at me smilingly, and asked, if did not know
that was in the State of New Jersey. Some
what astonished, | replied that did. but was
not sufficiently versed in the pursuits of the
natives, to fully understand their manner off
living, or mode OF filling the earth. BeIiey
ing that asked for information, he answered
me By saying, that Jersey differed from the
surrounding States inseveralr respects, and that
il was the greNt hot-bed Of the neighboring
cities, and little else comparatively, was grown
upon its soil than fruits and vegetables.
Each Of the circumscribei patches Of which !
spoke, he said, contained different growth
one might produce watermclous, another
pumpkins, another potatoes, another tumips,
and so on al iqfaitem.
+ Thanking him him for his information,
further inquired il he knew why the ground
was 30 red and pasty looking2 He replied
that Jersey, according 10 tradition, was in the
primeyal ages inhabited by immense tribes Of
ferocious Indians, and that in the course of
their long continued warfare the Garth, for
miles downward, became 80 completely satu.
rated with blood, and inte4nixed with human
remains, that il yet retained the color and
consistencc then impaired to it. Some of the
old inhabitants, he continued, oven aver 10
having, in their younger days, dscoyere-
streams of pure blood, far down in the bow
els of the ground which coursed warm and
fresh as if flowing from the vessels of a living
thing. The credibility of tho Jersey legends,
however, ho could not vouch for, and was
willing that thoy should be rated at their true
value.
|, Of course believed the story, and no |
longer wondered that Jersrymen were called
spaniards, and noted fortheir blood thirstine3s
and barbarism generally. How could they be |
otherwise, than cannibally inclined, while liv. |
ing upon soil constantly flowing with blood
and redolent Of dead Injins' bones. We sped |
along over this chequer-board country and |
passed through several towns, each of which, !
to my eye, looked anything but inviting, and
bore 10 strong a resemblance one to another /
that if they could have heon jostled together
1t would have been impossible to tell which |
was which, and which wasn't. We finally |
arrived at New Brunswick, where inquired if |
the train would stop at Metouchen, the next
station, about iyo miles above, and was in
formed that II would not. but was told that
as matter Of accommodation, the conductor
did sometimes halt if he had time That
being the station at which we wished to stop, |
! approached tlic rail road penipotentiary and
with all tile hardness and humility Of which
| was master Teyerentio1I,, .sl,ad 70 I,o .,,il