New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-22
SUMMERY TIEW OF WHA11SG PORT

NANTUCKET, July 81 have been shamefully
defrauded have gone through pers by land ana sea 10
reach sandgirt isle that was TO be quaint ana prlm
tive beyond description where the ocean came up 10 the
front doors and whales looked in at the windows where
shells and seamosses chung the walls and streets were
not where the houses were furnished with marine
curostes, and spicy "old salts" every man Of whom
had had his boat chewed up by the monsters Of the deep
kept the place from the corruption OF monotony'
1t was an unknown country this island of Nantucket
foreign shore from which natives in their canoes might
be expected to meet the steamboat and offer load OF
"duohogs" in exchange for beads and trinkets'
II was therefore with much curiosity and some fear OF
these savage tribes that found myself in Nantucket
Har5or one rainy afternoon, amid crowd OF natives
assembled to witness the phenomenon OF the poats
arrival They had left their work. for no one does
any work in particular in Nantucket those VINO Dehe'e
in working leave the place. The crowd looked very
much like crowds elsewhere whales nor barrels OF Oil
we're visble and it needed only an actual hack when
was there in waiting to complete the thoroughly COM
mon.place aspect OF things.
But what houses Weather.beaten barns directly on
the streetsOmc Joined to twin, others stranded high
and dry in single ugness without shade, without paint
without blinds the only prospect strip Of blue ocean
in the distance and cobbestones and sand close by NO
one shows any enterprise I'm the way Of improvements
the occupant Of twin rather hankered AFTER
front door that would look little less like an aperture
for the use Of fourooted creatures but sadly concluded
that taking the other side into consideration ~ "oiu
make 1t look like q onehorned cow
Nearly every house stands close on the sidewalk as
though land were OF priceless value and query as to
the reason OF this scantness Of space was answered by
the rather irrelevant information that every one IN
Nantucket is related to nearly every one else.
81 VIII tell you" continued my goodnatured Inform
ant using his fingers the table as though he were
marking out land "Nou see cousin george u nc punt
right here then his brother Benjamin Re built on tho
opposte corner SOS TO be him then their cousin
BENJAMIN F. he wanted his coopers chop right at the
back So you see the folks got around in nests as 1t
were and that brings 'em so close together"
This Nantucket relationship is very puzzlng thing
Gossip necessarily kept check and every ono speaks
well Of every one else. Evil doors, too, have an easy
time Of It.
The grand ornament Of Mainst the Broadway Of Nan
ucket is the reddest Of all red brick Banks which seems
to face every street turns into and highly sugges
tive Of scarlet fever very large scale. The streets
here fork and branch in such unexpected directions that
It impossible go straight anywhere and 1t requires
very little ingenuity to get hopelessly lost
The ocean seems TO recede tanalizngy the more one
tries to get TO IT, and walk TO the beach through heavy
sand is exercise enough for day The pretty little
sand show clusters Of purple bOom and gorgeous
thises in their gory the sweetag stands III stately
groups that dotted the marshy fields; wild oNa-
lis and feather fen abound and the beach rich In
hOra For shells. there are only hmpes and
"clapper.shells" while pcriwnkles are 10 be had by
dredging" but the animal that mhabs these shells Ia
so large and difficult TO dslOdge-hayng an absurdklug
for his own house-that they are scarcely worth the
trouble.
No one who TO Nantucket satisfied without an
experience of bue-fsbing and Shaking in which he
generally spends the day and returns sun-burnt and
hungry to his spells and tell discouragng stories
| OF sea-sickness. This exctes in the islanders mild
surprise, like that Of the Jerseyman to whom visitors
! complain Of musketoes
Nantucket people "set up for shapes" much any
one, and have quite knowing look when Fashion
ia discussed double skirts and Grecan Bends abound,
and the sound Of the veocpedc has been heard IN
the sandy streets reminded Of the pathetic poem
the Of the newspapers few years ago
feline " winged uirds that round my pathway
Do know spot where hoops DO more
The Wild Wind ahstled In face
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