Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-08-15

SKETCHES OF SUMNER TRAVEL.

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SIDE VILLAS AS SEEN FROM THE STEAMERS
DEcK-THg PASoRANA-A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET
-NAHANT As IT Is-WHAT HAS MADE 1T WHAT
IT = As A SUMNER REsORT-THE BosruS leg
MAN-AGAssIz AND PREsCorr
am ow steaming down Boston harbOr How
changed the island OF East Boston in twenty five
years since which time had not seen it, Then
its only individual enterprise in successful prose
CutiOn was a single mammoth sugar refinery, il
| remember correctly. Its now successful docks
were then but projected and commenced and a
comparatively few indifferent houses were scat
tered over its waste. Now, from the water side
it appears to be well built up as the main city
itself shipping crowdng its docks and wharves'
and immense warehouses and manufactures being
in sight upon it, (the island of East Boston, }
rising above surrounding buildings In all direc-
| tons South Boston, too, that forms the other
flank Of the entrance to the ctys harbor was then,
when compared with what it 1t is now, a very
| desert. At this time find it a well-built, sub
stantal city At its extreme point (of land stand
the city's house of correction for vicious BOYS a
plain and modest collection Of buildings
Further down the harbor we pass small islands
dedicated by the city and State to penal and ele-
mosynarT purposes, all having upon them sub
stantial and extensive buildings In admirable
cond ton, and forcing upon the stranger who is
accustomed to a state Of society like that in the
South, where there are few paupers and fewer
| criminals, the impression that with all their
| wealth and all their piety, Massachusetts, and
Boston must be cursed with ten times their right
full share Of crime, and twenty times their right
full share Of suffering among the laboring classes
| from poverty.
AS look back from about six miles down the
harbor, with the sun just fairly down behind the
hills, the sunset scene is charming indeed tnging
everything 1t touches with golden illumination
| houses, ships, and even the unduations Of the
tops Of the lower clouds on the shore which look
as though row Of brilliant lamps had been hung
| along upon all Of them for stretch Of a mile.
We are now so far down the harbor (having
| passed its staunch and costly fortfcatipns, the
Long Island Watering place Hotel, &C. &c } as
that the swell Of the rocks the little steamer
amazingly, though not unpleasantly to me Look
| ing seaward, the broad Atlantic once more rests
under nv eyes, while lis breezes rolling in upon
me, insPirit me to write on, which, however, ap-
| preaching darkness forbids
| August Sire reaching Nahant where am
now writingl last evening, the boats winnings in
the shore channels intricacies exhibited to those
on board various very beautiful views of conspic-
uous objects surrounding and within Boston har-
| Dor, not otherwise 10 be seen to so much advan-
tage lighthouses, ledge beacons, light pats the
State na1tical-school buildings, half dozen
| watering place hotels, villages and suInptuous
| water-side summering seats Of Bostonians of
wealth, besides Cape Cod and Cape Ann the
ocean being, from everywhere, in sight the while
On landing, found the famous Nahant Hotel
closed the cost Of keeping it open for the last two
or three seasons not being paid by the patronage
| received. IL is designed to accommodate twelve
hundred souls, and has commanding position.
But alas for the vcissitudes of the tastes of the
fashions Of the times Boston, though her wealthy
men took Nahant particularly under their wing
mas been unable to draw sufficient custom o keep
such an establishment open, even at this really
finest seaside summer sojourning point in the
United States 1t strikes me that the reason why,
for the purpose designed, Nahant has proved a
dead failure, ia just because Boston's wealthy
citizens rather than her working thousands under
took the job mentioned above Exclusiveness
evidently reigns here now. The peninsula IA
studded with beautiful cottages surrounded nv
~~-'i --'~' r-H@"-"ad o,'ornAs eanh Iah-l,44 ~,
family that seem 10 wrap themselves up In the
ceremonious dignity Of the Tycoon of Japan.
Hence few except those whom they regard as
equals In society find il agreea bic to come here in
summer and the magnificent hotel has conse-
quently proved dead loss to Its proprietors
am at the unpretending village inn. where
find every necessary comfort and very civil peo
pie. So | have been enjoying the quiet Of this
day-Sunday-here and the delicious cool breeze
from the sea, after my own fashion. To me. the
absence Of pleasure seeking thousands, adding
almost unexampled quiet to the soothing calm
ness Of the beautiful water views from Nahapt's
| rocks and beaches, is a luxury beyond expression
with the pen Turn whittier / will new and
| charming view strikes the eye The rocky jslets
near the shore each look like an uncomfortable
natural fortress, their rugged proportions rising
so suddenly and cOmmandingly from the water
The multitude of villages and outstretc hing
beaches laying scattered around landward and
the dark blue OF the receding eKpanss Of water
looking seaward, keep me constantly with out
stretched neck. Nature and art have both done
more to make Nahant the most charming water
side resting place on this continent at this season
OF the year, TO the person really seeking rest cool
sea bfeeZes and excellent sea bathing than for
any other such point Cape Mays surf is not tn
be enjoyed here; but one finds here in its stead
beaches equally as fine as those of Cape Nav a
multitude Of views thousand times surnasS.
ing Cape Mays single view seward walks
and drives innumerable unsurpassed anywhere
shrubberY and shade that will gladden. the heayt
Of any lover Of those two so delightful luxuries
to the tagged out city man Of business; and sen
air that cannot fail to reinvigorate his overtasked
strength when quietly enjoyed With all these
attractions, were Nabant really within the reach
of the tOiiing thousands Of Boston and the thick
lY-poPulated country surrounding 1t, its fortunes
as a summer resort would doubtless have been
different But the wealth and intense fashion of
the ''mOdern Athens have practically tabooed
II to ali save themselves. They cut great dash
1t is true, as they rode Ieisurey along its beaches
on thcr daily drives this-Sunday-af afternoon. in
their very heavy and dign fed carriages But
they fail most wOefully to pay the people living
here interested In the business Of Nahsnt as a
watering place, who, while they would not like
to Lose the ornamental effect Of their magnificent
cottages, doubtless heartily wish every mothers
son and daughter OF them to the -. as the dc.
stroyers Of Nahant's prosperity
The finest improvements upon the peninsula
are those Of Mr.. Tudor, the Boston iceman. Ne
is the originator Of Bostons so profitable business
Of exporting Yankee ice wherever Yankee sbips
can carry il to thirsty and overheated souls in
other latitudes; by which he is said to have
amassed q large fortune The ,,a, L. l.