New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-09-03
THE ISLES OF SHOALS.

Coolug lts dull and foversh EioN',
"A'g r W., Srsath Of new ethe healing Of the
seas"
sIdraw freezer breatI-I seem
waves in the sun-tho whitc-wnged CLEAN
OF sea-brds In the slanting beam
And far-of sails which fit before the south
wind free"
1t is only nine miles away, that Hampton Beach to
which these lines are inscribed by Whittier, our
nearest poet ncighbor, if we except T. b. Adnch'
who is passing the Summer at Portsmouth. Only
nine miles away, and what is true OF Hampton
Beach is far truer Of the Isles of Shoals that might
rs well be hundreds of leagues distant. for
"what heed l Of the dusty land ,
see the nightly deer expand ,
From MS white line OF ElimmeIing sand,
10 where the blue of Heaven on bluer waves shut
down."
I gee all that the poet says save the "glimmering
sand" of which there is not peck on AppledOre but
better than sand granite rocks against which the
sea may lash itself iatO fine frenzy and form awhile
line of glittering foam that no beach ever yet
rivalod. But where are the Isles of Shoals
Well then let take bearings for there be ed
itors in New-York who believe that the shoals off
the African coast in the ncighborhOOd of ST. Helena,
and if editors who lead creation by a metaphorcal
nose are thus plunged in geographical darkness,
what must be the condition of the Grand Army OF the
Public That islands discovered SIX years DeioTe
should still remain unknown, while the most WretGh-
edly pdrTenH settlement IN the on Regions OF on me
margin Of fair Paciic's RarOad-be 1t BaldwnsVllle
or JOneSbOrO, the town by any Otner name
will smell as sweet-are objects OF
interest TO oven the infant mind, only proves how
true is the disputed doctrine of total deprayty AS
the Isles of Shoals still in Wonder Land, perhaps
it would be well to start from some point within the
ken of ciyilizedman. Let that point be Portsmouth.
being name most suitable for this place, 1t beng
the rivers mouth and good ms any in this land SO
its gOdfathers" And now that we are IN
Portsmouth n. H., having come from Boston IN the
first morning tram, ana are staud'hg on inc WndIl
waiting for the Yacht Celia to ship her passengers
and baggage, let us talk about Portsmouth, Tor
Portsmouth is highly respectable town. Ii has
pedigree. In old colonial times, II was the home OF
quality. Ii could boast of delightful lnn with the
sign of the Earl of Halifax, that in revolutionary
days became the William Pitt y but the sign that
should have endured forever has cTumbled INTO dust
and few who pass through Ptt-st. know what stories
the old frame building, 50 neglected IN IFS old age
might tell, If there were ears to listen. Here
came Lafayette, young and handsome, to
visit French officers who were boarding
at the William Pitt, Here he came
two brothers took refuge during the French Rey0lu-
ton, and better than princes of France IS George
Washington, who here took his farewell OF New
Hampshire. Portsmouth. too, has had lis taste OF
good Protestant inquisltOn. In 1862 the town meet
ing passed an order that cage be made, or some
other means by tho SeleCtmen, 10 punish such as
seepc or take tobacco on the Lord day ont of the
meeting in the time of the public exercise" SO they
built cage twelve feet square and seven feet high,
with studs SIX inches broad, four inches thick the
openings between which We're three inches. " y
substantial payre OF stocks and plhory were
likewise included in this order, and very good
service did they all do. One hundred years later
woman was publicly whipped on Markct-squaIe
stealing pair of boots. Tho whppng-post was the
town pump, and there with bare shoulders and back
the WIctched creature submitted TO the
flashing of the SheTiits cat-Onne-talls. Size had a
great number OF spectators 10 see THIS good work
performed" says the next week S newspapers, ana
il is hoped that others. who justly deserve IT. VIII
soon be brought to the same place receive their de-
VauVs lat Isl IN
weighed out TO Ruth Blay. a school mistress
and girl of good education for that era
who indicted for cOnceang the death
of au illegtimate child. 1t might have been still
born but the benefit of the doubt was not given IN
those halcyOn days The penalty was death, aud
death il should be. So Ruth Blay was aTrayed IN
silk and dragged through the streets ia cart. No
sooner had she arrived at the galows han the sheriff
who greatly feared that he might be late Tor dinner
launched his victim into eternity. Ii IS true that
reprieyo was expected from the Governor, but hot
her mortal coil with an expedition worthy Of tho
nineteenth century. The cart had no sooner been
driven away and Ruth Blay left dangling IN the arr,
than the TepTieve arrived and Portsmouth udgha-
tion reyenged itself by erecting elgy before the
cam to lose my dinner
This woman Tor TO hangl
Come. draw away the cart, my boys,
Don't stop 10 say amen.
Draw away, draw away the cart
That was the last execution witnessed i'm Ports
mouth. They could afford to hang school -mstIesseS
iii those days for schools were Tarer than angels
visits yet though Portsmouth hanged woman who
was aftcTward proved 10 be innocent, II was woman,
one Bridget GTalOrt, who, in 1900 presented lot of
land for public schOOl-hCusa The sun of public
schools had not then risen, and 10 Mrs GiaiOt Ports
mouth owes the founding of the Safest school
That ii does not bear her name Is only another eX
ample of how virtue is invariably its OWE reward.
At that epoch spelling was carried on according 10
phonetic principles; highways Was hiwase," and III
1868 the town recorder made the following entry;
"Sept. 3. At generel town meten this day, the toWne
in gencre have Teferde the case of GOOdwle EYe;sO
the selectmen In she bee sent from BorstO Jac
consarnen hr keepen IN the tOWne OF senden d. 20 III
husband"
Mrs Evans was declared to BE a witch. Such are
the good old times for which the righteous sigh.
Portsmouth present has such tales 20 tell IS Ports
mouth past, and are not 10th to turn our backs
upon her-pretty though she be-as Baker RES All
aboard for The ShOalsn and with all sail set the
anty schooner Yacht scuds before bree and trips
down the harbOr determined TO l0aLe the Ney best
time that circumstances III PEI gt L. is well that
wind and tide are IN our isvor OF we s1oud oe con-
demned to a mile row TO Newcastle ere wc boar cd
our yacht and any one who has once IecDuo ac-
quainted with the yagaTes o. Isca aqua River las no
desire whatever to pursue the acquaintance furthef
There never such eddles, currents and counter
currents. Pull with all your might and main, and
often you Will progress backward, tranucally catch
ing at some nelghbOrlng rock VITA your oar III the
hope of getting q leverage Win when tOStdTt anew
They say Portsmouth Wateumcn have reduced swear
ing 10 fine art, and no wonder; for the Piscataqua
which means right angles-Is enough 10 spoil
the sweetest temper. and the most polished English
that man was ever endowed with. If Job himself
had tried his hand at an oar IN this cantankeIOus
river he would have used awful Language, and CON
signed his enemy 10 II rather than TO the writing OF
a book. There is place so notorious for Its con
trariness that III revolutionary times 1t was called
" Pull-and-be-damned, baptism so expressive OF
the situation that IL VIII take eject 10 the emu Oh
time.
Past Portsmouth Lights we dash into the broad
Atlantic and after spanking run Of twelve miles IN
a southeastern dlrectlon drop anchor IN the waters
short lesson in practical geography has dissolved the
theories of Wonder Land. and We stand upon Vefta-