New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-27
SCENES IN GOLD NAN1UOE."


QUAINT CUSTOMS AND ANCIENT HOUSES
[rRou AS OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE r"iHuNi'
NANTUCKET. july 2j.-Probabiy there Is no
place in New England of which the lnhaoi"'' '''ne
more closely tn the traditions and customs oil iorio ~
erations or rlgousy preserve the rei''s "iU
venirs Of the past than those OF " Od Nas'u'S r,
do they resist the march OF modern inno'auon' Inv
hud,n tbe rajr.ad which now passes through "oos'
n,nd ia Surfs1c was stplty opposed ana Wheh vas
c,tended along the 60 lst ScOnse every weahei-"
veteran viewed It askant and grovleh ou' "''
djrtions unutterahe. Some slight amends were "Nio
however when the first locomotive was given ~,
,.,,e Dinn,s" which had been borne by TIE
,nso,t Of Tristan Convn, the historic pioneer
who organized company for the purchase Of The island
and I'm 1871 was appointed is first chio magistrate n
nolrishing school here stl bears tile name OF Auh"i
Sir Isaac Conln the wcllknOwn descendant " iS'''
and the average intelligent resident clnsng lV' anaiha
Gle 10 his native rocks and sands s fond ~ nauelhE NV
teirosupri OF nvgone times-before the decadenee u
c,nuerceI prosperity the great lrc of 40 asd the he
diva "a tho ,ll npls nf California, three months later
hI.n no,alv1cd IN EFFORTS ~ restore The island w. hs
o,ttpet Importance Though Nantucket "a isoaiea
fnm the great centres pf advanced civilizations anu
jbangh tho whafyes aud warehouses aie de'aiins anu
ss,np ~ he ips ipais whS hatt never seeh tue oHsr
nad NAV sara az hGteitt thei dn ih ether rlatrs
tho slUpane, Al advantages AZ th"'ah afe hat ihte'''
IA those vt avs utHer NeN thaahd community ana N
far tho greatest pat at lbe Islanders nave aW'ta
cultivated and carefully g1riri ah elevated A"'''
status aud would o0k dscana4nely oh any a'itmr' 10
introduce the hilarious dissapa ION, Whleh 'h'ea'eh
some other seaside resorts
There are too numerous objects of interest that claim
the attention OF the antiquarian Besides very To-
spectable public sculu almost every house is enriched
with curious aud memenos OF the past haS
Pump stil stands the we'll dug at the hisl
settlement of the town. and ti yields Ike ABUNDANCE
Of pure water The old windnll still grni4 corn as II
did nearly 100 years ago The site OF whippnepost Ii
pointed out by those VINO a woman whipped there
but the gooi taste society leaves this spot unmarked
and this most unsavOry OF all their "reminiscences VIII
soon pass tradition much pleasantcr reGoiocto
is that OF The " Veal Feast Waen IIe caI rSenc% ON
and the killing OF cali was notHpt @ ti,{
the frst day, all tho husbands relations were hNite
and on inc stc"m%1' an MART of the feast
was carried on dishes. wrapped IN lSrge, haPain'.
making part OF bridal outfit Then. as now the WOhlel
Of Nantucket understood the art OF COOKING, anu inS
feast furnished the opportunity to display SKIN III
varying the methods ot preparing tnr SAN uS" '
while they bouutifully p5rtoOk "f their onaty pdcGn
the best of all occasions that might display heir culinary
skill The annual three days sheep sheulis ieast VIZ VA
and Young. assisted A. or witnessed the washing anu
h. cn listen 70 the rectal Of these and many other
incidents from the lips OF eaTrnnlons %1 "I i9
IN the spaCionsI r,c t. in the centre Of the
'front.' aheut fye feet above the caus"way win Steps ap
form calleda walk, surrounded by railing ana com
mnWicatisc with the upper-storv by trapdOor. This
walk furnished with spyss, was used by the family
AS lookout for incoming ships; the arrival OF whaler
or merchantmen being mado the occasion OF hOllday
and general rejoicing The internal structure or inc
house gives the impression OF great solilty' u behS
bmlt of huge TINT of hewn oak. The chimney
r. naneI,eJ over .he Fireplace to the ceiling. and
on Inc opposite wall may be seen genealogical chatt,
with the name OF Tristan COhyn IN the ccA" In thc
ear Of The house immense fireplace, formerly used
for he family cooking and the children after per
forming their tasks allowed to select small potatoes
and roast them in the ashes. ~,
There Is nothing OF foolish afcctaOn parade In the
ouant customs that finger here. They are rather com
nonsense adherence to the practices suited 10 me c
liar needs OF the inhabitants Thus the t0Fn-crci from
L lookout i'm the tower Of the old church, takes the place
of the family on tho houSetOp and gives prompt lni0rma
on To- the whole town by the shi blast 81 trumpet or
the ringing bell. The present busy MISUNDERSTANDING
has hello the office for many years, ana VINO; rs reward
for his tirclcss energy permitted 10 dlNe W hst
aud the last spike ia the railroad passes thnngh lhc
sbyTnal Sirces with great aiacrity. ana stopping NJ
The CORNERS in crIcGed and oYcrwOrbcd voice mdKes
all announcements, from an expected Wedding IL
n fatal shlpwreck Many the attractions here Tor
seekers of pleasure. The "Qucen Anne style OF bWd-
inc il .upptantlpg the rude hshing-hu and all ndic1-
lions point certainty thdt PhGniXlike out OF lts
own ashes the Of Nantucket VIII soon AGAIN present
a busy scene of pro porous and hcnclccAt activity.