Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-08-21

cess a few miles further on.
Star Island, so called from its fancied
resemblance to star, contains only
about $50 acres, and in general appear
.ance resembles Appledore-has the same
rocky border, presenting in places a gen
tile inclined plane to the sea, and in 9TH
ers rises in bold, jagged wall, fifty or
sixty feet, almost perpendicularly. A
heavy sea beats against these rocks in
tones of thunder, sending up columns of
spray sixty or seventy feet in the air.
On this island was the ancient town of
Gosport, where nearly all the inhabi-
tante of the islands lived.
Last year nearly the whole island was
purchased by the new hotel company,
who have built splendid hotel-the
Oceanic probably the best and larg-
est on the New England coast. 1t has
all the appointments of a first-class city
hotel. The company has built wharf,
purchased fast sailing steamer to ply
between Star Island and Portsmouth,
and furnish boats for fishing or pleasure
parties. The "Oceanic" is already a
formidable rival of. the 'Appledore, -
and its enterprising proprietors will
leave no stone unturned to make it the
most desirable place on the islands. A
fine band greets US on our arrival and
discourses sweet music while we dine,
and plays Strauss waltzes and other
suitable music for those who "trip the
light fantastic toe. Now most of US
have no fantastic toes, and, if we have,
we have exercised them sufficiently,
scrambling among the rocks, to the wild
music of the waves. ..... --...... .
tSInutty Nose" the third island in
size, contains about one hundred acres,
it is at present uninhabbited, has only
three houses, one of which. was the
scene of the fearful murder by the
wretch Wagner, who, late last fall, land
ed on this lovely island, during the alb
sence of the fisherman, and for the sake
of $500-the amount of the season s
earnings-in the most brutal manner
murdered two women and attempted the
life of the third, who escaped to tell the
dreadful tale, running to the extreme
end OF the island, hiding till morning,
almost frozen. The story of this hOr-
ribe tragedy was related to us on the
spot by the very man who went to the
relief of the surviving woman, on hear
ing her cries from AppledOre.
If any of our party had sentimental
notions of no hanging for n1atrdeT, | think
they were pretty effectually dissipated
before we left Smutty Nose island that
morning. Here, on this island lived the
good Captain Haley, who found five bars
of silver among the rOcks-pOssibly a
portion of Capt Kids buried treasue.
With this he built a strong sea-wall be-
tween this island and Malaga. connect
ing the two islands, and forming har-
Dor for the protection of seamen in
''distress of weather" Every night he
places a candle in his window, as warn
ing to seamen. During the night of
January 18th, 1918, the ship SaguntO,
from Cadiz, was wrecked on the point
of Smutty Nose. Our guide pointed
out the sixteen graves of the Spaniards
who were washed ashore and buried,
with rude slabs Of unlettered granite to
mark their resting place.
Duck Island lies about two miles north
of Appledore. 1t was never inhabited
except by the shy sea-towls which shun
the nearer isles. 1t is a long, low line of
rocks, with lodges runningout into the
sea, rendering the locality very danger
Gus to mariners.
Cedar Island lies between Smutty
Nose and Star. About mile southeast
of Star is White Island, on which is the
lighthouse, with its revolving light.
emitting alternately from its powerful
Fresnel burner a white light and a red
a decisive warning to sailors to avoid
this most dangerous spot.
Londoner's Island, near by, containing
about twenty acres, makes up the seven
islands Besides these are numerous
rocks, some of which only appear at low
tide. There is dangerous reef of rocks
about four miles to the eastward, called
by the significant title of the ''Old
Harry" The highest land or rock in
these islands is only seventy-fve feet
above high tide.
In my next | will answer the question,
How do you spend your time at the
Isles of Shoals ?" c. /. c.