, 1865-08-22
Chicago :@'rtt,u.1e.
TUESDAY, AUGUST =. 1865. +
NOTES OF SUMMER TRAVEL.
MarNa's Vineyard Camp Meeting.


The Great Animal ReIigtous Festival
of she Methodist Churc1.-A Newport
OF fSunday.-Godliness and Sea Bath.
j. fu.-ThfTty Thousand Pooplo >ajAena.
Med-IIoxr They Live and HnM The,
Enjoy Themse1Fca. ~ -
1Cos7e.pondencc OF the Chicago Tribune II =.
WrlErAs GnovE+ sAH1nA,s rErIAap,
t.. August II, 1sG5
Camps belong to the army, camp meetings
10 the church; both are militant md some
timcs triumphant Aethodists arc famous 10,
their camp meetings., and not the least O
these is the one on Martha'a Vineyard Island
Why Martha planted vineyard here have
been unable 10 discover, as itnow appears slt
could hardly have selected more barre1
spot She did not !..ehoose tho better part
of the universe when she landed here. What
ever The, soil may have been when she came
Il is now almost barren, and there Is hardly &
trnce Of The :" vineyafd LEI ft-indeed Tue vine
could hardly survive Id this sandy soil
Camp meetings have been held here q! week
at a-time for eighty years. II L. an olde.
Institution than come Of our collegestan In
stitutfon that scsesal generations Of men and
women hare pat tronized in constantly iacreas:
ing numbers. They come By thousands from
oil parts OF New England, the Middle States,
and even from the great West; Kentucky and
. Iowa arc represented here There are feW
Mcthodists who have not heard Of u Martini Is
Vineyard camp meeting." and get 1t lis not
moEopolized BY Methodlsts, for hundreds ot
other denominations as well rs the church
universal come hlther. Tho meeting begun
on the 10th inst. and will last one week. Al.
ready nearly twenty thousand people are
trip, and, including transient visitors, proba.
bly, thirty thousand will probably arrive. Last
year fifteen thousand people were In attend
ance. MaEy spend the entire eeason. here.
The comparative eeclusfon Of the island, the
novelty OF camp 1ite, the iny1goFating: baths
Ibis spot, and weeka-beterc lie time, hun
dreds come to take advantage Of the: rush.
Over two thousand were On the ground when
The greater multitude arrived.
4 Two hours sail Of thirty miles from New
Bedford, across Bnzzasd's Bay through Woods
hole, whose currents and cdaies remind one
Of 1lurl Gatc, brings one 10 tue camp ground
lnnding, opposite the town Of Holiness Hole.
A miles ride or walk over dusty road and
sterile ridges, in whose loanless sand subsist
culy few. stunted shrubs, coarse grass and
moss that crumblcs like ashes to the touch.
and yoA arc ut tho plaec. It Is situated II
ihe east end OF The island, on cape or head
land, between two large coyes, and y three
six miles from Edgarton to the southeast.
The shores that form the elbow Of Cape Cod
nre distinctly visible to the northeast. There
are many indentations along the coast, but
few good landings. Fisbing Is tho chief occu-
patton Of tho islanders.
"Now view the camp" Imnginc md oak.
}1,ir- II al, -,
timber such as one secs on Western prairie,
composed Of sand, onlzs and young growth.
The shade is Irregular and imperfect. Quo
may approach the encamrsncnt as he would
enter the mouth OF n spiral shell until he
winds to The centre where in the oldest por-
and Eeats TO accommodate about 6,o1o wor-
shippers. Everything Is ns neat and cheerful
rs church in The woods can be. The can.
opy nolygon shape, painted white with lattice
work and green blinds-t1ie seats, being ftcc,
are nncus hioned. Larps md lamp pos1s
here und there dissipate the gloom and give
the whole q city like aspect Indeed, IL Is .
city, and enc oi no mean dimensions OF popu,
1atlon-to see the crowds Of pilgrims THAT
throng its streets md thorougltares on thch
Nuy 10 aud from church and prayer meeting
enc would cali it n busy place. Alta cpnren
lent distance from the sittings forming the
segment Of po1ygons are lines Of society tcnis
;
ccssiye circles Of tents, cottages and streets,
These parallel streets arc cut by other streets
rsliating from the central area. Like Other
cities this has its suburbs and parks beau
titnl gTorc forming Triangle Is called Ttfn.
ity PAfk, alung whose sides are many tasty
! dwellings,. Then thcse Is cottage eircIe-r
suburban retreat. Other little Communities
arc fpringing up on The ou!skirts.: The
streets, The lots, and many Of the houses and
streets arc numbered, seven policemen patrol
the streets and maintain peace aud order:
This Is getting necessary as 1t is fonnd impos
siblc to Danish all the rogues. Yesterday 8
mar. living near BY game to The 1neetinee
leaving $50 III $50 gold bearing bonds In BIZ
bureau at home Ills home was entered II
lis absence md the money abstracted. Ons
may judge Of tho extent Of this city Of taber.
! nac'es from tho fact that there arc seventy
| Eve villas or cottages and $50 tents varying
| from the family siEc-to that of large hotel
that can accommodate l5o persons
The property Is held in trust md managed
| by III association composed Of the spcictie:
and churches represented here. Presiding el
] dcts md tent masters have voice In the
government. These make such rules and reg
Tations Is conform 10 their charter aud thcii
here, closes up the years business and makes
preparations necdful for the next animal gath
eti1g. Lots arc rented annually for small
sum, payable IN adyancc-numbers hare pro.
cured long leases md erected elegant little
cottages, costing frcm 500 TO $500. These
arc permanent structures to which they return
for the SEASON. They Ire made as cozy and
or Suiss style-vyith balconies, fronts made
attractive By tasteful blending Of white,
blue or green, With rustic door yards, shell
walks. &c-, &c. They excite general admlra.
tion- They are diInihulirc PALACES where
fairies might lore to dwell. They are inLabIt.
nd 1,,7$ xa-1,r 1,a1H hr
being hospitab1c or win, they throw open their
parlors to the passcrsby, who Of course look
ou Tin Venice" and scrutinize thencatly
made up beds, tasty furniture and ease-loring
inmates. The cottages laye silver bcei.knobs
and door-ptatcs, while on The tents nrp seen
or chu1cl, bordercd with oak leaves and ever
greens. The owner Of q tent or cottage brings
with him all in the way ofsegvants' furniture,
provisions, DC, that be may constitutes COM
p1ete forest home, which Is Independent.
The large majority who como. depend on
fragu1entazy meslss and transitoEy .lodginsa
the unknown must accommodate himself to
circunstauce-be eood-naturcd whether
crowded out or il by The multitude. Old SOL
diers bring their blankets, and know how to
take u life 10 them 70 familiar; but voc to one
that isn't Strangers can for smallfee sleep
dase $50 oi both eexcs-thity feet by seventy
supporting framework; this stands the year
round. When occupied the canvas roof Is
spread. Rye atrnw On the sandy ground con-
st1tutcs the h.1stead and bedding. A cloth
each apartment. The sleepers are slowed as
compact1y as possible, and when the 1oor Is
covered the landlord passes round to collect
the nightly fare Of dime and half! Lights
burn II the dwellings, all night, after the
Ierlelitish custom.
This city Of tents Is under strict government
almost military fn come things, Rules are
printed, proclamations issued, and posted on
1he trees and tent poles. At flvc O'Clock the
brethren must rise; six o'clock tent prayer
meetings; seycn O'Clock, breakfast; eight
O'Clock, prayer class meetings; 1D:5o, preach
ing; 1s:G0, dinner; two p. m, preaching
se,sn NJ Rrcaehing,fol,oWtetd, BY p5assr
when tie inhabitants must 60 to bed Dis
turbances after thst hour put one under diacl-
plinc. Religious exercises constantly occur
ring, peeple are expected 10 deport themselves
ascn Sunday. Indeed MI campmcetlng days are
Sundays, but they are not SO observed: TEou-
fun md lrolic, and they get it If not In the
camp, outside at least. Walking and conver-
sation during service are prohibited, and yet
It is continually going on, 10 the annoyance Of
worship. Ropes nre stretched across the
Inner circle, but not used. Nervous, light
headed people can't Keep still, and as at 4 po-
lltical gathering In cities, people arc ever on
occupation Of the young folks, and when
thirty prayer meetings are in fnll blast they
may bc seen passing from tent to tent, O. the
sin.iuE or allouting attracts them rnost, halt
inE and staring here, peeking in there, anu
trolling principle with these ramblfng eazcrs,
md II Is noticeable that where the shouting or
singing is the loudest the outside crowd ia The
largest.
It is this outside pressure which the friends