The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-08-10
A TEN DAYS TRIP
Told in Three Chapters.
ARRIVAL AT NANTUCKET.

On the morning of the 2ith of July, pre-
cisely At fifteen minutes past seven, soil
tary, but sanguine individual may have
been noticed standing, carpet bag III hand,
at the Elkton depot, calmly watching the
approaching train eastward bound. He
was 4 victim of the Nantucket fever Al
though for days this epidemic had been
raging III the uiet precincts of the village,
yet, SO far rs could lie ascertained, he was
the sole subject of the mania, at least in
its acute and decisive phase. Indeed the
. Nantucket fever had, in this instance. long
since assumed I chronic intermittent type,
and which had recently Keen seriously
aggravated by seductive circular descrip.
two OF the beauties and charms of the thou
sand miles excursion To the Sea Islands of
Massachusetts. Besides he had never set
foot upon New England soil, on which had
grown the seed corn Of the continent. both
cereal and human. The opportunity to
realize long cher iShed desires was too in
to b"come realities. \ legibly directed
card upon his hand satchel H. X. t.
1878 -Nantucket-Mass told the story of
his destination. The realization of it he
now proposes to tell in the first person.
On Tuesday night, at eleven o'clock.
packed two hand bags, and labeled them
with the above cabalistic characters. There
was more meaning i'll them, 10 me AT least.
. than in the well-remembered :. T-lSjO -
/ y. They both meant tou!CS, however. but
of very different characters. In one satchel
/ | packed necessary articles of wear: in the
other rough suit adapted for the rugged
spor,s of the sea- and which was anticIpat-
ing with such lively expectation. At vii
mington | procured my trip ticket for the
reasonable expenditure of Sl3.2J, and took
a through check for my larger satchcl, pay
/ ing therefor the modest sum Of twenty five
cents extra to :over depot transfers. This
was my first sr,ru. II is needless to remark
/ that there were others not indicated on the
programme of the route.
AMONG THE sPANIARps.
! Starting from the commercial metropolis
| of the small but important, commonwealth
| of Delaware at a few minutes before ten, a
! pleasant ride of an hour transferred me ut
/ GTay'S Ferry to the cars of the PcnnSylva-
+ mia railroad, in which three hours more
/ found rae at Jersey City. Ii seems uuncces
I sary ~ this connection 20 weary my read
/ ers with any detailed account of TIE trip
across the Spanish provinces. Since the
annexation of New Jersey the progress of
domestic assimilation has been 50 rapid,
that but few years have suiiiced To rem
der the inhabitants of that highly favored
section of the globe undis; inguishable from
/ either Eastern Shoremen Gg the dwcllers in
any other of the outlying provinces. Suf-
flee II TO say thai the historic Delaware
| still iiowed silently on past Trenton, dis
tuTblng not even with Its sound the pTcsi-
/ dental dream of its ambitious Gubcrnato-
rial occupant, the inevitable George"
1 L mike Henry Ward, he of Plymouth fame
we glanced furtively nj Elizabeth, and then
left her far in the rear, had a glimpse Of
/ Rutgers at New Brunswick, whizzed
/ through Railway and Newark, and over
marsh and fen landed safely in Jersey City.
/ The busy harbor Of Manhattan is always
7 attractive. Through its welcome portals
pass the richly laden argosics of the world.
But on this day New York lay swelteri NJ
under tine tropical rays of midsummer
sun. To each dusty passenger there chung
untold quantities of Jersey soil. Cnnsid-
ering the amount each traveller carried
away, the constant drain upon her agricul-
tu:al resources must be enormous.
PLEASANT SURPRISE
The transfer TO the open deck of the spa
cIous ferry boat was refreshing and CRATE
full. Arrived on the Manhattan side. few
minutes walk brought me 10 the pier of
the Fall river line of steamers. where the
real interest OF the trIp began Deposit
ing my luggage II the office of the line,
. had a cip1T Iay far Y.
! York and vicinity, havin: decided tn await
here the probable arrival of an Elkton mer-
chant afflicted like myself with the Nan
tucket fever. Returning To the Fall river
pier the next day, not only had the pleas
uTc pi meeting the gentleman in question
but also ii. Hanson iiaInes, ESD. who,
accompanied by his wife. child and sister.
were also doing " Nantucket The meet.
ing WAS a. agreeable As unexpected.
Promptly At fifteen minutes past five the
Prov of the steamer bristol was headed
towards Long Island Sound. What no.
bile vessel She is III truth. The complete
realization of elegance, speed, strength and
capacity, she Is III every sense a maeniii-
cent steamer Those who have never been
on board one of these paatial vessels can
scarcely realize their magnitude aud the
elegance of their fittings The Bristol is
I known As the iiag ship of the Fall river
ieet. Ii was on her, during his lifetime
that James Fiske, Jr., whose lamp uf life
. Stokes So suddenly eNtiuguShcd with 4
+ pistol, lavIShed his money 50 prodi.ally
! Her daily departure from her berth was
/ then a !IvciIcr scene than that now wit
messed The vessel WAS literally covered
with bunting. while the finest band that
| New York City could furnish drowned
| with its brass notes, the rattl!ug hustle of
the pier. Dressed in the full uniform Of 3.
commodore OF the |. ;. Navy, Fiskc over
looked the busy scene from his perch near
the wheel house as the vessel proudly iloatcd
from the wharf amidst the shouts and cheers
of the crowd assembled to witness her de
parture. Fiske was in the height Of his
glory. When fairly under way. the brass
horns of the musicians were exchanged for
orchestral instruments, and the evening
concert began. No common one either,
| but the best music, artIstIcally rendered by
I the most skIllful performers. FIskc would
have no other; he never INDUCED a pleasure
by halves. AS you entered the grand sa-
loon of the steamer-two hundred and sev
enty-iive feet lung-the CHEEKY notes of ca
nary birds greeted your ear. Three hun
bred birds, in as many gilded cages, adorned
the saloon, and rivaled with their song the
richest strains of the orchestra. The ele-
CANT decorations and the orchestra are still
there, but the cauaries and the gay Flskc
have passed away, the latter never To re-
/ turn.
But the absence of Fiske's displays in no
wise detracts from the genuine enjoyment
of sail up the sound. From the deck of
the steamer much can be seen To interest
the stranger. Indeed either shore Of East
river presents panoramic scenes at once
. pleasing and attractive. Not that the,
scenery Is 81 striking or picturesque As that