The New York herald., 1876-07-31
RATSoR's ISLAND, JONES' INLET, l. L,

Jusy 3O, 1870 }
Tho thunder Of the surf comes nearer and nearer
and the lines Of breakers march sodly one after an
other snow white the bones Of the ships ground
10 powder by their teeth had been stirred from the
bottom of the angry depths below.
This is a mere spit Of sand which rest; dune
erected by the wash OF the eternal Here and
there find creek, quite deep, fringed by tall. salty
and sedgy grass running sluggshy out at low tide and
nercely in at the flow. In the long dank grass
hear night tho stars rise and the breakers moan
the paintive croak OF tho bullirog and then the
stars fade away and the dawn breaks gradually
lhe desolato sands and the mysterious sea- the shrl
whistle OF the snipe is heard in their waverng flight
and tho futtering Of the tiny sandpiper comes from
She outer margin Of the storm bound beach.
The island, named many years ago from then
wealthy family in tho town Of Hampstead who owned
It, Raynor's Island, is, perhaps 100 area
Of marsh or 'mash" land, as it is called by the few
disconsolate or hypochondriac sraggers who visit
In these days Forty years ago beach parties Of
bellies and their attendant beaux requented the island
from Hampstead, which lies tar inland, and from Free
port, the shore side of Hampstead Bay, but
Is as orlorn and unknown New Workers tho oasis
Of the Soudan There is but house the island,
kept by Mrs Dick Smith, good natured and nfrm
old lady, where in days by there were dozens OF
bathing houses, and 1t is hardly ever place Of call
tuOSe
yhooters ana duck huntors occasionally boating
party going to Long Beach Will stop get drink OF
whskey a clam fry at Mrs Dick Smiths. But
Raynor's Island more than anything else
Z rendezvous for the wreckers who search for
lost ships and often the masts OF wrecking schooner
tapering fanciiuy in Jones' Inlet the winds
screaming hoarsely through their scant cordage while
the delves below for forgotten wealth. This is
OF the most treacherous and fatal places the Long
Island coast for ships, and the timbcrs aud spars
many a noble vessel torn to pieces in the breakers
after going ashore hero imbeddcd in the fathom.
less beds OF sand Hither came to look up the
wrsckcrs and of progress searching
hs bark Mexico lost forty years ago Long Beach,
with nearly all her passengers and repuedy fabulous
amount OF But wreckers difficult beings to
Ind they go their voyages of discovery well pro-
visoned with fare locate where they deem
Jutabe for their soarch changing their anchorage
will and seldom holding communication with the shore
while at work. This last precaution is to preserve
Decrecy in case OF q "lucky find" A wrecker, like
fisherman, will never tell you where his "fnd" has
been what his luck was and often while searching
Tor the bones of lost ship they will firmly
Ihey are only fishing.
LOOKING FoR AN ABLE SEAMAN.
To get at these wreckers and witness, If possible,
heir operations. had to make the acquaintance OF
live the shores Of the Great South Bay and Hemp
stead Bay are called. After much questioning and
being severely crossq questioned turn what was
my purpose, by suspicious people who have little
nothing else to do in these parts bus questions
0nally made the acquaintance OF smart and fearless
young boatman George Boydon by name, whose iatheE
had followed the seas from time muemorial and
Georges young cousin lad OF fourteen years of age
named Will Griffin, both OF whom reside at a place
called Christians Hook, Hampstead Bay In talk.
ing with George l found that he knew his business
thoroughly and familiar from early boyhood
with every part OF the coast He also
had the inestimabie advantage for myself
" having served wrecking schooner in
ho capacity of working hand at $12 month and his
"grub." as he termed his daily viii Griffin, the
'iourteen-ycar-old" knew much about boat as any
lad ever of hs age, and could be safely trusted
10 hold tho er haul sheet In the toughest water
After much negotiation and parcy, grave its
IS that which might occur between Sitting Bull and an
Indian Comm ssioner boat was secured which did
have the luck to possess name, but registered of
two tons burden and went by the of a scat" or
. 'two-ton cat" as the choice might be- engaged
the "cat and George aud VIII for couple Of days,
until the wreckcrs found, and | ascertained
that none OF the older boatmen would venture out
across the miles of rough bay or to the open
IN New York city the sun had been at fever beat and
not breath OF breeze stirring In its heated streets
for days previous
GRAVES UNKNOWN DEAD
81 tell you, sir" remarked George Boyden, after the
s'cat" had been engaged, s'you ought TO see the
graves OF them dead and drowned passengers Of them
'ere ships before we go to look for the wreckers. l
heerd tell OF them when was boy, and my father
" them come ashore wagons, the corpses all stir
With Ice and cold They all in the buryng ground
down 10 Rockville Centre Village II the talk OF
all the country side at the ume,' added George,
pathctically Tho people never saw so many dead
and drowndcd people afore or since on this coast
and the old Cornorcr, Dann Mot--hc Coroner
had mighty big job settin' on all them" thought
therefore, that would pay visit to Rockville Centre
Village and set forth for the cemetery blazing hot
lay. Down here the there is but very scant
loago, tho roads are sandy where they
not dusty, and the sun looked like steel in its
reflection, as the rays fell on bush potato patch
on white houses with green blinds glaring at me- and
here and thers in the quiet Of suitry country road
came the howl Of disturbed arm dog as he spied the
stranger his way. Slowly the main road crcuitous
AT best, emerged into cross road where
there little country store in which pair OF boots
or smoked ham might be purchased, and in another
moment saw the square white wooden tower OF tho
and beyond and left rural anked by green
fields aud the house OF the minister who the
church and its congregation with spiritual comfort
entered the enclosure ana rang bell, which was
answered by young gir who informed me that tho
minister was 10, and would sec me 10 moment
While waiting in The neatly furnished paror a tall
Uaveookns gentleman attrcd IN ministerial black,
entered the room aud badc me welcome This was tho
Rev. H. ). Huschari, pastor of the FIRST Methodist
church OF Rockville Centre. explained briefly to the
reverend gentleman my object and the desire had TO
the graves OF the atcd OF the lost ships
who had long been forgotten in these parts excepting
from the hcarsay OF Old crones aud the lips OF "A lew
old inhabitants who had been present the dread
casicn. The reverend gentleman procured key for
10 the ot the church enclosure. Unascuiug
Inc gate The clergyman rcverenty entered between the
hckIy studded graves, until came TO less thicky
populated part of the churchyard, aud there
ore us mound OF large size, with tall white SHAFT
urmouniing IT,
SHIrwnEcK STORM.
"Thcrc you can see the stone erected by the