The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-09-06
RESPONDENCE.
Letter from Rev. DR.. Hoge.
NANTUCKET, August 80, l8s

NANTUCKET, August 80, 1882.
MeSSrS Editors, There is a strange
romance in Island life. An Island is a
microcosm, with its own fora and fauna
with its own characteristic scenery, and
with the peculiar social customs preva-
lent among people separated from the
rest of the world. All these distinctive
features and idiosyncracies are to be found
in marked degree in the Island of Nan
tucket. A Southerner making a visit
here will find more that is unfamiliar to
him in the manners, modes of living, and
sentiments of the people than in any other
place he could select, unless he were to
cross the Mexican border or the sea. Not
being able to do the latter this summer
concluded to come as near to it as pos
sible by getting off of the continent. -
This is the way the natives speak of the
main land as distinguished from their own
Island home. While making a call at
the principal hotel of the town last even
ing heard stranger ask the clerk
where he could find "Mr. Folger." Said
the clerk, that depends on what "Mr.
Folger, you wish to see. That name is as
common in Nantucket as Smith" is on
the Continent"
Nantucket, as you know, lies about 60
miles southeast from New Bedford, Mass,
with which place it is connected by line
OF steamers making daily trips during
the summer time. The Island is about
fifteen miles long and averages two and
half In breadth. 1t contains magnif-
cent harbor seven miles in length and
more than mile wide, separated from
the sea on one side by a very narrow rim
OF land, but unfortunately it is obstructed
by a bar over which vessels drawing more
than nine feet of water cannot pass. In
early times when its whale fisheries made
Nantucket well known both in England
and France, a most singular expedient
was resorted to In order to lighter large
ships over this bar. 1 have examined the
model of this contrivance preserved in
the museum of the town. 1t consisted
Of two immense water-tight structures.
curved on the inside so as to fit close
against the sides of ship. They were
Hoated out to the vessel wishing to cross
the bar, then filled with water so as to
sink them to the level of their decks, and
then firmly fastened to the sides of the
ship. The next process was to pump all
the water out of these two compartments,
and as they rose, of course they raised
the ship with them, and thus toted her
over the bar.
Perhaps one reason why Nantucket has
been SO much written about of late is in
consequence of the newly awakened in
terest IN the early voyagers to this coun-
try. The discovery Of America being bv
TAR the most important event in the mod
ern history of the world, considered in
connection with its results upon the flu
ture Of the race, all that pertains to these
early explorations excites an ever increas-
ing curiosity. 1t would not be easv TO
determine how often Nantucket has been
uncovered from the days when the
hardy Norwegian freebooters CROSSING tbe
stormy seas to Greenland in the '1Otb
century landed upon this island and
named 1t Nantlcon, as the tradition runs
down to the time when Capt. Bartholo-
new Gosnold, in 1902, discovered" II
anew. The authentic history of its early
settlement is romantic enough, however.
Tor the purposes Of magazine and news
paper writers, and these are now becom-
ing numerous enough to liken them to
the tourists in Egypt, of whom it is said
that they food the world with descrip-
tlons as abundant as the waters of the
ME lS' without the enriching fertility of
that popular river.
Another element Of interest in the set
Element OF this Island is the fact that the
hrst white inhabitants came here to es-
cape religious persecution. One Thomas
Macy, worthy English colonist, having
hrst settled in Essex county, Masgachn,
ssetts, was convicted Of having entertained
Tour Quakers, contrary to the law then
existing in that commonwealth, and pre-