The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-06
CAPE HATTERAS FOLKS.
A Brief Study Of a Queer
Community.
TERRORS OF THE DIAMOND SHOALS
Among the Hatteras Life Savers and
Light Keepers,


appearing Under = Sand wRve-A Diet
OF Fish. Oyaters, Corn Meal. and Topon
Ten-A Community OF Church oers-The
Grosser Sins OF Humanity Almost I'm.
knownt Stn tho Place has it's Draw
backs-wrecka and Life SAvers-Looted
- Observation-Disclosures Storms and hen.
cons-SocinI Customs ma UsaEes.
KrSNAKEET (Avon P. o.. Hatteras Island.
N. c., July 5.-Who has not heard Of Cane Hat
teras, and OF tho storms that rage about it, and
OF the ships stranded and the lives lost on It's
treacherous shoals and In its mighty surfs
For more than 900 years its terrors have boon
known and dreaded by all who have sailed
across tho western ocean. Whom a cyclone
forms in the torrld regions OF the Atlantic, and
comes whirlng along toward tho American
coast. it Is at Cape lIatteras that tho huge roll
lers Ioretelling its coming first appear. and be-
cause Cape Hatteras lies nearer the usual track
OF these storms than other American headlands,
It Is here that their full fury is more ireouently
manifested than at any other point on the
coast Indeed, on several occasions the course
Of the whirling gale has been so far to west
ward that Its vortex has passed across the
cnpe, and It's giant waves have torn new OPEN
inga through the narrow ridge Of sand that
forms this coast line. and have closed up others
shat in times past had for many years fur
nshed free passage for the shipping that piled
upon PamlIco and Albemarlo Sounds
Nor Is it dangerous in storms alone, for be-
cause 1t is tho most prominent point in long
stretch OF coast, the tides at every flow come
sweeping up to meet and whirl in eddies about
it. and form such dangerous shoals far out to
sea as can rarely be found elsewhere. while
currents OF warm. moisture laden air from the
southeast find here opposing currents OF cool
air from the north, and fogs well nigh as black
rs twilight often prevail at MONDAY. SO that
the incautious often loses his bearings and Is
stranded when no gale is blowing.
Dangerous MS it is and must remain, there is
no point to which the masters OF coastinG YES
soils moro frequently head their ships. The
lumber laden schooners from the Gulf aud
the Southern States. the fruiters and sugar
boats OF the West Indies. the coffee carriers
water ships from around the Horn and the
Cape of Good Hope-draw near to the coast at
lIatteras. because its light tower is at most but
few miles out OF their course; and having
once seen its flashing signal or its broad spl-
rails OF black and white. the shipmaster is conf
dent Of his position and can head away for his
port with n corrected chart Of his voyage.
1t is. therefore, not q matter OF wonder that
the island just to the north of Cape Hatteras
should have been called Bodies Island. from
the number OF corpses Of drowned sailors that
every year washed UP on its sands.
Within the last two years THE Sun has sent
its reporters among some queer people. Very
different from any of these communities but
quite rs curious and interesting. are the peo-
pie who live on the sands OF which Cape Hat
teras forms the most prominent point
On Hatteras Island there are a plenty OF
ponies and half dozen horses, but no harness
maker. no wagon maEer, no blacksmith. no
horseshoer. no carriage. no wagon. There are
hundreds OF cattle. but no butcher no meat
market. no milk dealer. no butter maker, no
cheese maker: nor is butter or milk used
save among score or two OF families. and that
only on rare occasions. There is neither tail or
nor dre5smnker nor milliner nor barber on
the island. There are no lawyers. no lock-
ups. no illegitimate children. no divorces. no
paupers. No man wears silk hat: no woman
II corset. There is neither hotel nor boarding
house nor liquor dealer There is no farmer on
the island. nor did the people ever so much as
see q reaper or mower or n plough or a grain
cradle or n scythe. There are no apple trees,
no peach trees, no pear trees. no plum trees, no
ras. berries. no goo ebcrres. They grind their
corn (which thoy mport from the mainland)
in windmils when tho wind favors. and when
IT doesn't they grind it by hand.
The young iolks never have either dances or
church fairs orlestivals. They never saw a thea
tire. negro minstrel. or n circus. They havo neil
therice cream Tor strawberries. They never 90
picnlcking They do not get together and play
any such games rs snap-and-kss- EN-. forfeits
&c, which country young folks enjoy 80 much
In one respect tho women are treated like
squaws.
The best boats they uso for fishing and oys-
tering arc dugouts boats followed from the
trunks ortrees-and their mail is brought hero
in n duGout from Roanoke Island. forty-nvo
miles away 10 tho north. to which point il il
brought in tiny schooner from Elizabeth
City, fifty miles away to the west. And yet in
this curious, old-fashioned community there IL
telephone system In good working order. and
one badly crowded tenement house.
Lot the man who is troubled with insomnia
because the noise and hustle OF the city have
overstrained his nerves; let the man who thinks
h. knows how both halves OF tho world live:
let the man in search OF pristine. not to aay
savage simplicity, come to Rinnakeet But
let the man with the dyspepsia stay away
for he will die Of the tortures no would escape
II lie came here. Very rarely. indeed. does a
stranger visit Cape Hatteras. II the Govern
nntp upTlI ,,It IT.
stations are not counted as strangers Now
and then peddler with his pack appears.
Wreckers from Norfolk. and even from Now
York, sometimes come to the beach to help
stranded vessel. but with the exception OF Mr..
Frederick Hussey and friend from New
York, who were here last winter. tourists have
boon unknown and unheard OF on this island.
CHAPTER II.
HATTERAs ISLAND.
Within the memory OF few OF the Oldest
people Hatteras Island was covered with a |