New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-29
ALONGSHORE.

rA-BATHING-MATTAPoIsETT AND ITS SUR
RovNpINGs-sONGs by COAST POETS.
fyRos AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRBUNE'I
MATrApoIsErr, Mass, July 23.-With the excep-
tion of half dozen fashionable places of resort, the
long line of our American sea-eoast, with its num-
berless variations of mounsan-shore and slowly
mbmercing plain, of rocky headlaDd sandy spit
and sheltered cove, has hitherto been strangely
neglected In fact, until the last eight or ten years
our usual Summer holiday has been mcreya transfer
of social FORMS not escape from them Fltth-avf.
Beacon-st., and Walnut-st have migrated to sara
toga Long Branch, Newport, and Cape May leaving
the humber multudes TO scatter themselves among
the woods and hills inland. Ii is only gradu-
ally that the many little hooks and ports along the
seashore have been discovered and surprised into
accommodating strangers with something better
than iishormens quarters and fare
There is scarcely another long coast line an the
world which offers many opportunities Tor sum
mer leisure AS Take Europe, for instance; the
Temperature of the water along the shores OF Nor
way. Scotland, the Baltic and North Seas, and the
coast OF England far as Scarborough. Is 50 Keen
that only the most robust can venture more than
brief immersion. Even at Ostende, 1rouvile, ana
the Isle of Wight, the secondary chill TOO often
cuts short the delight of the bather and the warmer
wave of Biasfitz or San sebastian is only to be
reached by wealthy tourists. From Name to Georgia
we have nearly the same Summer ocean rs from
Southern England 10 the shores of Morocco, accessi-
bio at almost every point, and with innunelabe
facilities for boating and fishing furnished 10y river
mouths, bays and sounds.
GIOwfH OF NEW SUMNER RESORTS ON THE COAST!
The greater part of this possession is still unused
On the northern shore of Long Island Sound and the
eastern coast of Massachusetts,, few detached
points are coming into notice, and year by yei "a
greater proportion Of visitors enjoy the salt tonic OF
Aha tic and wafer but thousand miles oil
waste almost deserted shore still intervene between
Portland and Savannah The most perfect sea
bathing have found in any part Of the world rs on
the Island of Chinooteague of the eastern peninsula
of Maryland. There, without GDdertow, the sweilS
Are high even, and regular the sand Is like velvet,
the temperature of the water ~ in Summer, and
the all ut soft and cool that either rest or eX
ercise is delightful Yet the island, 90 miles long
L. given up 10 a dozen fisher talnilies and as many
herds of wild ponies; there is neither hotel nor Sum
ner cottage and the very name of the place Is prob
ably unknown " nine-tenths OF the readers OF lHE
TRIBUNE.
Even here in Massachusetts, singrlarly enough
the ruder shore and the colder water first attracted
Summer idlcrs. The long Bonded arm OF Cape Cod
holds the chllier current which, closely following
tie coast crecp~ down from Labrador; while that
branch of the Gulf Stream which brings fog and mild
air to Newport tempeTs all this Southern coast:
But Rye Beach, Gloucester, Nahant, and Nantasket
have an old reputation, and Msttaposett Marion
and Falmouth are places of yesterday wearing their
new popularity with All air of bewiderment, if not
of alarm. Around the shores Of Bnzzards Baythere
Is room for SOC 900 Simmer residonte, but doubt
whether the sum of all who have yet discovered
these retreats exceeds 500.
MATTAPOIsETT.
spent few days here, for tie first time five
years ago. Mattaposett, which formerly sent out
whaleIs to all the oceans, and atterwaTd made a
scanty living by shpbuilding, found tsot bankrupt
nj the close of the war, and how hall OF It's mpla-
ton of 800 existed became Il mystery to the other
half In 1870, the long street fronting the Ear5or
md the broad expanle Of bay was almost deserted,
there were uninhabited houses here and there, the
owners whereof tried vainy t. sell them az onefth
of their value and the landlord of the single hotel
rcjoiccd land de>pairod) Ill having single guest.
Yet there we've thee. as nOW Soup and blueflsh
H. the water oy sters and CLANS along the shore, and
HOLSTERS within three miles. Also, stretch Of 10
miles al safe boating f0r amatoHIs-f"r Bnz2arde
Bay il practically landlccked by the Elizabeth
islands, which lie between il and Marthas Vineyard
shadows for bathers, and pleasant If somewhat
Sandy roads through the back country Since the
crisis OF '73 people seek out such noks as these,
and this Summer there are ut least 800 transient
residents-mostly Bostouians.
The bearings of the place are these: Aew-Bedford
Ia FIVE miles TO the west with a log peninsula,
shooting down toward Cuttyhunk and Penikesc Isl
and- intervening; to Woods Hole, or Falmouth ii
is II miles in Decline the water and about
80 miles by RAIL- around the head OF the bay; south
IF us lies the Island Of Naushon, which bcliay-
ing eyes sometimes see the revolving light on Gay
Head NIartha's Vineyard and Plymouth of the
Puriials the county seat is rs miles distant, to the
northeast The means. i am informed, "a
Place of Rest" but ask one to accept this inter
pretation without further authority. The region
nav well have been the "Nihland y of the Morse
men: the wild grape grows everywhere, even TO the
edge of the surf and almost baihes lis tend1ls III
tb saf spray There are creeks where the dragons of
Lfif Ericsson may have anchored, and plains where
he NAV have built his booths. Tho mildnUss of the
Winter recorded by the old Morse explorers, points
81 least 10 this part OF the coast.
The town stretches along the head Of the western
blight Of Buzzards Bay for nearly mile A branch
of the Old Colony Railway, running from fremont to
Fairlavou, touches il in the rear, and brings us
within Two hours reach of Boston. The accOmmO-
datioIs however, are still primitive, and many OF
the supplies are brought from New-Bcdford There
e. neither butcher baker IN the place and II re-
quires little management TO secure 1oat or carriage
when one wishes to ride or sail. On the other hand
there is no costume de rgaeur: there are no conven-
tOnal hours no bands no hops" no receptions,
but a general atiDo> phere Of picnic aud dO-as-yOu
please. number of Boston families have their pri
va,e residences usually the old houses made over
and more gracefully furnshed-but this class is the
fYst Ia protest against the invasion of city conven
tOna SINS One of the most attractive houses in the
place was blacksmits shop some five years ago it
sits in the edge of the SURF and Its upper ycranda
oyerhangs the water like a ships STERN
THE SIGNS OF OLD DECAY.
Apart from this infusion Of new life the place and