New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-09
AN IDLE DAYS AMUSEMENT.


Iron An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEl
'SCoNsET NANTUCKET, Sept. 2.--This inter-
sstng little village on the sea front of tie island OF
Nantucket which in the Winter time contains hardly
men enough the lifebOat to assist the frequent
wrecks. is place where man. weared with the ex-
element and eternal bang and cater Of the metropolis
nas the greatest possible contrast to city le and the
most delicious relief IL queer, odd place, peOpled by
quaint and interesting collection of seafsrng men and
their families Most Of tho attractions of the place are
of quiet type but amuse by their Oddity The great
wooden atches OF the doors the outside rather
than the inside very good expression OF the hosp
tally ana trusting disposition Of the people, The
latchstrng is inside The houses have walks or oDserV-
atores on top from which study the passing ships
and the buildings are shngled on the sides well on
the roofs AT the post Office gets his mail through
the open window, standing the gTeensward outside,
the letters being spread out the dnngoom table IN
side The caller pays cent piece for every letter and
package received There thousand stories ahoat
about battles or shore in 1912. wrecks the island,
whaling voyages etc, which it affords inexhaustble
Amusement to elicit from the fishermen Then there is
the hermit. living in cabin made Of wreck stuff and
filed with trophies from many gallant vessel which
has laid ITS bones Nantucket sands and drowned its
the waves the floor Of the cabin being covered
with copper pennies nailOd down in initials and hero
gyphcs One of the attractions is the remarkably cool
and bracng air in which sleep for twelve hours
The sur-bahng is exciting enough but the other un-
enumerated attractions Of the town very much Of
the order of those above described with exception
and that Il the Establishing.
The waters of this coast Of the island swarm with saw
age game. owing popularity Of the sea with re-
spect 10 food The bue-dOgs the veritabe maneaers,
Of the same Tyre as those of Newport, New York
and many other harbors showing their black backs and
big dorsa fins above the water, common and
the bottom Of the to be alive with the huge
sand sharks which poke about among the crabs Holsters
skates founders and similar creatures, by the hundred
for the means Of satisfying their Unsuitable appettes
ne Nancketeers and Nantucketese themselves seldom
20 out for this game The island mind is practical and
looks to the commercial value Of the game. On the
other hand visitors who have the love OF adventure and
spice old Adam their souls almost invariably do
20 sharks for with them is the pleasure OF
suit and not the worth Of the thing pursued which
governs
Four ladies Of heroic mould from the West lodging at
our hotel had walked three miles along the sandy beach
and brved the Of the for sharks and had
had good luck and an inland bank cashier and his
ohum lodging the way, had returned from SINH
lar expedition with glowing tales Of fourteen monsters
booked ana four Of them landed in their boat We re-
solved to 20 out FISH, too stimulated by their adYen
lures
The tide runs along shore here like river. We were
20 fish on the last northern tide. and through the
slack water and the beginning Of the southern tide
Early dawn found ON the proper beach, gathered
around Captain Bunker's big whae-boat, in which the
cruise was TO De taken. The ladies put aboard
The boat was pushed down near as possible to the
edke of the surf The stood around the boat Win
ahOs of and trousers rolled up TO the knee waiting for
the proper moment The breakers were rolling in
furiously and the tide running strong and Captain
Bunker said to Billy" his red-headed freeked and
ear.ringed assistant Wait moment; bum-Dy therein
be chance we don't want to git muxed up" Present.
" there was bit OF smooth wafer and the refux OF
18th puEh all
rs the boat hOaed Captain Bunker aristoerauealy re-
surned his shoes Billy who didn't, PM mp the SAIL ana
soon we we're on the sharking grounds. Anchor was
dropped The hooks, fastened to strong
ropes were severally bated with a dozen perch aud
thrown Over and the company settled down 10 await
results The lines strayed away from the boat Oeaut
fully The tide was right The wind was of shore, the
Shy clear and everything was favorable for good luck
HBuly - whiled away the time OF waiting for bite
with extracts from his five whaling voyages around the
cape and he story Of his being knocked into the air by
the tail OF great whale and his boat being smashed TO
splnters an occasion when Billy" bimself In the Ian
euage of the island, nearly "peaked his hukes and
went undero too for once ana all. The interest, and
not 10 say confidence Of the party Billy" rose with
each successive adventure until he seemed really 10
have shown himself quite a remarkable and Won
derfuIly well informed mariner He was little weak
on the Gulf Stream however. In an evil moment the
netlye-mnded and sunburned genius in the bow, who
far away is the Gulf Stream from hereP
billy seemed little confused at the question: and
appealed 10 Captain Bunker.
hWell. don't know exactly" said the grizzled Cap
~ cont know" says Billy; may be-" -
Alter moments pause during wIch ooth OF tne 9 9
Information this particular point captain Bunker
h about SOC OF latitude amt it Billy The steamers
70 Europe you know sometimes 60 over without cross
ing the Gull stream but sailing ships sometimes go 20
elr6 I'd nd get IN.
Tyerybody seemed satisfied about the Gulf Stream.
1osyEd We'll this Is dull musie' Two hours had
gone by and not bite yet The whale boat rose aud
Ten on every swell with motion which caused an coca
sona JERK lines and the crabs and HOLSTERS down
below pucked at the bait at other times ana womb be
found clingng TO IL on being hauled up But no shafs
had taken the lines Biuys comment, 0jleh Iep6ateu
deepenpd to- Well, this is dull duh music" and
Annually ceased altogether which was ominous At this
point however, the line fartlest ait was suddeqy seen
70 stray away from the boat in the widest fashion and
the gentleman who held II got mp IRON lazy 5eenng
position which he had been occur yng as WOfhed WIN
nearly milling The man overheard, and "Bllly" aud
CAPT Bunker dropped every thing and ran 10 ASSIST "a
ana In a few minutes ifty feet of line having been
hauled in, big fsh came 10 view which looked IKE inc
mouth wide open. in turner's picture OF The slave
ship He was nine feet long ana weighed SoS
requiring the utmost efforts OF two men TO hold him. ana
ne apped tho water with his big black tail TIL IL spa
tered into the air feet high. He Lad savage mouth
Extraordinarily big even for shand each Jaw car
re- nv pnlcd M 10 the gnnwaie Of the boat and he
opened lis Jaws and glared at the crew,
fbere was general turning pale and moving
away from that part OF the boat oy s su mo, not
trying TO aud him. The fish was OF the send SHARK
peci@sand had to be killed with club. Somebody would
have been hurt had he been taken aboard alive He fought
bari for his liie and his capture exciting but
dozen blows on the nose with club which would have
done credit 60 a COmanche quoted HIN finally, ana ne
Wa then hauled aboard As he lay athwart ships, his
head and fa projected above tue gunwale either side
o. the large boat.
i not an unusual circumstance for school OF sharks
40 take the lines OF AL and for the com
pany have thEes or four big fellows splashng the
water alongside the boat At the same moment OF tns
We hOped 10 have taste OF the excite ment OF such an
event and came very It. school OF sharks look
THE Res All at once All the lines except Que had bites
almu aneousIy and tue hrst tOyed with the bait fof
several mOments; but owing 10 haste In hooking the
prey, they all escaped us with one exception only.
az thcIna shark lon larger