The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-08-21
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM NANTUCKET, MASS.
Will Carlton and the "Old Salt"-Scarci.
ty Of Fish Maryland Visitors
Sharks &C.. &c.
NANTUCKET, August 18th, 1885,

NANTUChET, august l4tn, 1850.
Messrs. Editors :-Artemus Ward used to saw
in one of his lectures, "Time passes it is a way
time has," and if this is true of any place, as it
assuredy is, it is certainly true of Nantucket,
where the days glide by, one scarcely knows how,
until they become weeks and months.
Will Carleton, the author of"Farm Ballads" and
other works, was here some time since and gave
reading from his poems at AtheDeum Hall. An
encounter of wits took place between him and
Captain Baxter, an old salt of this place, who is
upwards of so years old and who is well known
to the visitors to 'Sconset and to persons general
ly who come to the Island as very fond of playing
a joke on any one whom he can victimize. The
CAPTAIN had got rather the better of Carleton, who
determined to get even with the Captain, SO he
presented him with copy of Chaucer's poems,
telling the Captain that be had written and pub
lshed them under that nom de plume when he first
began to write. The Captain, who knows more
about whale fishing than he does about literature,
was highly complimented and began reading the
poems. Mr. Carleton left the Island and in some
way the Captain discovered he had been badly
sold. In due course of time Mr.. Carleton sent to
q friend of his here volume of his poems to be
presented to Captain Baxter. When the book
was handed to him he said "Yes, that is another
of Will Carleton's lies" Mr.. Carleton may con-
graduate himself, as the Captain generally comes
out ahead in the long run. Mr.. Underhill, stem
ographer from New York who visits 'Sconset every
summer and who is doing much to develop that
place, says Captain Baxter has fooled him over
and over again that he expects the Captain will
continue to do it as long as he (UnderhilD lives,
and that after his death the Captain will fool mis-
"heirs, executors, administrators and assigns"
Blue.fsh have been very scarce here this season
and short time since they sold as high as
$l1 each. They are rather more numerous now
and q party went out fishing few days ago and
caught about 40. plaice. fsh, founders, soup and
sword fish quite plentiful. It'll rather curious
that crabs are not eaten here, though they eat
Holsters. A person who was born in the State of
New York, but who has been living here about 45
years, told me he had never once known crabs to
be served up in any mode since he lived here.
Prof II. B. Adams, of Johns Hopkins Uniyer-
sity, is now on the Island. He was here last
summer. Among other visitors from Maryland
are John B. Wentz, Esq, Mr.. H. G. Lamb, Mr..
and Mrs. Benjamin c. Barroll, Miss Sallie Sher-
WOO Miss Lily Bateman, Mr. and Mrs. William
S. Keech.
Sharks seem to be quite numerous in the neigh
borhood of this place. A merchant from New
York, whose wife and himself are our uis a-uis at
the table at the Springfield House where get
our meals, is very fond of the sport and has been
out frequently. He told me few days ago that
he was one of party who caught seven one day;
that he himself caughttwo; that the party hooked
about twenty but the others got off the hook be-
fore they could get them into the boat.
About 230 persons came over to the Island by
the steamer Nantucket last night. I do not know
how many came by the noon boat. We expect to
get to Towsontown on the afternoon of the 18th
instant. TRAVELLER.