The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-08-16
For The u
MONTAUK POINT.

six gentlemen left the old town OF East
Hampton, Long Island, for Montauk point,
the eastern extremity of the island. Three
of the party were clergymen of the Protes-
tant Episcopal Church, the others-well,
perhaps, the least said about them the bet
ter. The party was in charge OF John
Parsons, lineal descendant of one OF the
first settlers of East Hampton. The day
was as bright as sunlight, and blue sky,
and pure air could make it, and the heat,
tempered with glorious ocean breeze, did
not incommede us in the least. The road
lies much of the way along the ocean, and
at several points Long Island Sound is also
in sight. Five miles from East Hampton
we reach Neapeak beach; low, sandy
fat, partly overgrown with what is known
as salt grass, and, in ordinarily wet sea-
sons, swarming with mosquitoes. We had
been warned before starting of the voracity
and venom of these and the green flies,
and when we mildly suggested that we
were all smokers and pentifully supplied
with tho best Havanas; "pshaw,' said our
lighted end of your cigar by the score and
there make an observation Of the best
point for an attack" But this season has
been so dry that the mosquitoes are nearly
burned out, and we suffered comparatively
little from their depredations. This beach
extends for about five miles, and rising
from it to the high lands you come to the
first of four houses, which occupy the east
ern ten miles Of Long Island. Here COM
mences a series of magnificent marine
views, some of which, with sound and
ocean both spread out in full sight, are
unsurpassed. OF course very little Of this
land is in cultivation. The hot suns and
long drought has given the short grass
peculiar brown coloring, and yet fifteen
hundred head of cattle, besides great num-
bers of sheep and horses feed here, and
The land is owned by a sort of unincor-
porated corporation, and is managed by
board of trustees, who lease the privilege
of pasture and of fishing the fresh water
ponds. A party of New York capitalists
ares now endeavoring to get control of the
stock, with view of putting up first-class
summer hotels and extending the railroad.
For this purpose Montauk is the grandest
place in America. Three miles brings you
to Osborn's, the second house, and three Or
four miles further on you reach Stretton S,
third house. Osborn and Stretton are both
descendants of the original settlers of East
Hampton and both keep summer boarders.
The country is full of traditional spots.
A huge rock rent in three pieces marks the
place where the last Indian of body of
Montauk warriors, chased by their deadly
enemies the Naragansetts, determined to
seek his own death, rather than to fall into
the hands of his savage conquerors. Three
times he lsaped from that rock into the
valley below ere he succeeded in splitting
his big ingun skull, and at each leap he
rent the rock. Do you doubt the story :?
There stands the rock in three divisions.
Until quite recently the half-breeds who
call themselves Montauks, kept three holes
in the valley cleaned out, believing them to
be the spots where the brave warrior fell.
Another rock, with an indentatiou of
foot or so in diameter, is known as the spot
where Roger Williams forced an unruly
savage to sit down, who was interrupting
him in his talk. If any reader is incredu-
lous, let him 20 to Montauk and he will
see the rock
There are still few descendants of the
once powerful Montauk tribe, residing
on the point Though much mixed with
negroes, the high cheek bone, and straight
hair, and general Indian features arc plain
~ visible. They still retain their chief or
king, by name David Farrell, whom we
met on the road tagging into East Hamp-
ton. He looked very docile, but the few
drops of blood in his veins, which make s
him of kin to Captain Jack, would induce
me to give him a pretty wide berth in a
big talk.
These Montauks have reservation Of
about six hundred acres of the fineSt land
on the island. They cultivate some grain,
but their land is mainly rented to whites
for pasturage. King David makes their
bargains and transacts their business gen.
orally. When 1 was at the point some
years ago, <aw quite picturesque little
camp of these Nontauks on the shore Of a
pond, near the beach.
At two or three points on the beach we
saw the remnants of wrecks, showing
where vessels had gone a shore. The gov
eminent sustains life boats stations along
the whole south coast of Long Island,
which consist of largo houses, each fitted
with one wood life boat, one Francis metallic
life boat, one life car, mortars for throw
ing shell with line-attached rockets, &c
A crew of six trained men stay in each of
these houses during the months of Decem-
Der, January, February and March, and
each receive forty dollars per month. They
are taken from the immediate neighbor
hood and can be sommoned at any other
season in an emergency. The whole is
under the charge of an inspector, who at
stated periods calls out the men, and puts
them through the drill of launching the
life-boat and fixing the mortar and rocket.
l witnessed one Of their drills, and thought
that if I must be shipwrecked, I would
like to strike some where near tho house
commanded by Captain Gould. This brave
fellow was reared on Montauk, his fathe:
having been for many years in charge of
the light house, and he has already taken
off ono or more ships crews since he has
been in charge of the station, near East
Hampton. A terrible disaster occurred on
Montauk, February Goth, 1853. The ship
John Milton, of New Bedford, returning
from Chincha Islands, was driven ashore,
and the whole crew, captain, three mates
and twenty-five seamen were lost. The
storm was SO terrific that the ship was in
pieces almost as soon as she struck, and
the men were froze as hard as rocks when
washed ashore. The bodies of the cap
tain, Ephram Harding, and four seaman
were claimed by friends; but the three
mates and eighteen seamen were gathered