Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-12-16
MisetlIzneous.
Letter from Nayasss.
NAyAssA. Nov. 6. 1870.

NANAs>A, Nov o. lNNo.
DsU ImerioaR As many Of your read
ers are not aware that the United States
haps few remarks thereon may be OF inter
est
This little lone isle Of the ocean called
Nayassa. Is situated between ~. Domingo
and Jamaica. 80 mile from the former and
20 from the latter. II rises perpcndioularly
from the water. Is 200 feet high, miles
long North and South and > wide East ana
West. The sea beats against it on every
side and makes landing impossible. The
oaly anchorage is on the west side in Is
faihoms Of water. and As the sea always rolls
in there. il is not a very agreeable place to
ever ;empts man to 20 there.
The Island is owned BY a company in
New York and Baltimore and worked for
the guano it contains. 1t is the only island
in the We.; Indies that flies the American
Flag. The Island is Of volcanic origin. and
composed Of limestone the surface is very
rough and all the crevices and holes are
flied with guano. They have been working
it for % years and get out 10000 tons a
year, which is shipped to Europe and the
Southern States mostly, a few eargoes a year
only gong to New York.
There is a shelf the most Of the way
around the Island from 100 To 400 feet wide,
and 80 feet from the water; then from this
shelf rises another island $50 to speak $50
fee, higher. They began working on this
shelf and have a railroad laid 5 l-2 miles.
carrying . tons. The cars are pushed along
by negroes; a. they have this shelf about
dug over, they have begun to dig on the top
Of the Island. and are shutting it down on
this shelf a, an angle Of IS degrees There
is at present on the Island 100 negro labor
ers and q white men, as Superintendent,
Clerks and Oyerseers No women are on
the Island. and no liquor is allowed TO be
brought here. The negroes al! belong in
Baltimore and ship to come here for l5
months, the company furnishing them a
passage each way in brig belonging to tn,
company. which runs here constantly from
Baltimore, bringing supplies of every kind
and taking guano back. They have a small
Chapel, and services every Sunday.
An experienced doctor is employed by the
company. There are only the necessary
houses for the officers ana quarters for the
negroes.
They have facilities for shipping 800 tons
day. An iron shute reaches from the edge
of the cliff to within few feet Of the water 5
edge. and 50 feet outside the cliff. and their
boats can come under thai without getting
smashed against the rocks. Each boat car
ries 3 I-2 tons and can make 20 trips day
TO the vessels, If the sea is not too rough.
They have boats but hardly ever have
vessels enough at one time to require them
all down. At present there are vessels
here, all Americans, Of US bound TO Viii
mington. n. C., and to Baltimore.
When We want to go on shore We go in
one Of their lighters, and walk up the shu,e
by the help of rope.
They have hurricanes here occasionally,
the most disastrous one being in 1873,
which destroyed all their lighters and most
of their houses and vessels that left the
Island the day before lone Of them COM
mariied by Capt, Joseph Thomas of Els
WORTHY we're never heard of again.
This year, Aug. IS, it was visited by the
hurricane that swep; over Jamaica. The
only vessel here was the Brig Eugene Hale
which hove up and went to sea, and being
s,aunch and strong, weathered the hurricane
without damage.
We canvassed the Island Nov. 2, and
found among the negroes l4O Republicans
and 20 Democrats and among the white men
we're IS Republicans and Democrats,
Only one Democrat was found in the feet
and he feels lonesome. We are anxious to
hear who is elected President, but don't ex-
pect TO hear till the 3Oth, We trust however
that the country is not given over to South
ern rule. Yours truly,
JOHN A. LORD.